Little Girl Lost
by alwaysnathanhaley
Summary: Brooke Davis wasn't exactly an angel. However an accident brings her back to Tree Hill and to face everything that she's done. However, she doesn't remember any of it. An accident erased her memory and she has to face the past she past she hated for.
1. Chapter 1

Owen came out of class when Rachel caught up with him

Owen came out of class when Rachel caught up with him.

"So, what did you do this morning?"

"Why?"

"Just answer the question? And don't answer a question with a question, it's annoying."

"Okay, I'll play along. I got up, showered, left for class. What is the point to this?"

"I did something really interesting. I went online to see the latest news on campus and I discovered that Tree Hill high student survives major accident. So, I click on it and there is Brooke Davis; your girlfriend…"

Owen interrupted. "She's not my girlfriend." Rachel gave him a look. "We went out a couple of times, but she has this lifestyle that is far too hectic for me."

"Far too hectic, what are you…ninety?"

"Look, we just have different worlds to live in. And didn't you hate Brooke, as you proclaimed many times after coming over to eat all my food."

"Okay, so I may have had a certain dislike for the girl. But I read the article and she doesn't really remember anything. Not who she is, or was, and certainly not anything that would involve you."

"And why is this important?"

"Because now you can let go of this weight that you have been holding on your shoulders is if Brooke Davis would change her slutty…"

"Hey, she's not…"

"Sure, whatever you say. I'm just saying that now you can live your life free of Brooke Davis. She has no memory and certainly not recollection of ever meeting you. So you can move on, find someone else because Brooke Davis doesn't care."

"You give the best pep talks, you know that?"

"I know, I should win medals."

"As always, nice chatting, but I have…I know I have something else to do."

"Oh, hey, you're still coming to the study group right…for psychology?"

"I never said I would, Rachel."

"I sort of said that you would, sorry. I guess I misunderstood."

"I'll try and make it, okay?"

"Works for me."

Peyton handed Haley her lunch bag.

"I have got to stop having your 'whatever' food you carry in my locker. Really, it's time for Lysol to kick the smell."

"Sorry, my parents are away and I'm not the best cook. And you know, takeout only lasts so long."

"I thought you said you were staying with Nathan and Deb while they were gone."

"That was until Nathan and I had this big fight."

"Huh? Why didn't I know about this before?"

"Because I hate putting my relationship problems on you."

"I'm your best friend Hales, so spill."

"Nathan and I had 'the talk' that we've been ignoring for a long time. And I accused Nathan of pressuring me and not caring about what I really wanted."

"Ouch, but you know he does."

"Yes, and that's why I'm so mad at myself Peyton. I mean I know he cares, and I know he wants to wait, but he's…waiting. But, I just don't know what it is. I mean, am I being foolish for making him wait, should I make him wait. I actually spent last night thinking of why I'm doing this. What does it mean if we wait or don't wait?"

"Honestly, it's probably something you're just not ready for."

"I want to be with him, I do, but I get to this point where something clicks and I have this urge to just get away from him. But all I want to do is be with him, like really be with him. And it's not fair."

"No it's not, and I'm sorry. But have you told him this?"

"He won't talk to me, I can't say as I blame him."

"I know there is practice today, so you'll see him there?"

"But between Whitey yelling out whatever he yells out and the game going on, I have better conversations with the bleachers."

"Then we'll just have to find a way to get his attention."

"Like what, naked cheerleading?"

"There's an idea, it would definitely cure you're fear of being close to him."

"I'm kidding Peyton. I just don't want to do anything that seems desperate."

"But you are…"

Haley interrupted. "Yeah, I know, it's just hard to really hear it said out loud."

Haley felt a tapping on her shoulder. She looked up with the sun blasting her in the eyes.

"Nathan?"

"Yeah, who else would it be?"

"In the blaring sunlight…anybody."

"Sorry…do you have a minute."

"Sure." Haley gave Peyton a look before going off with Nathan.

They were in front of the library. Haley's heartbeat was racing. She couldn't imagine what Nathan's first words would be.

"Your mom called the house last night."

Haley was disappointed that their first words would be about her mother calling. "Why? What did she want?"

"You told her you would stay at my house until they got back. And when she called, I told her you were at the house."

"Thanks, but why did you tell her that? I mean, you could just have told the truth and said I was at my house alone."

"Didn't want her to worry. She did say something about calling back to talk to you, so after school I can drive you back to my house and you could stay there until she calls…I mean if you want."

"Sure, yeah. Beats a lonely house all by my self."

"I have to go, but I'll see you at practice."

"Yeah, practice."

Haley slowly walked back to where Peyton was sitting.

"Are lovebirds singing sweet words again?"

"He wanted to tell me my mom called, and he lied for me saying I was there."

"Ouch, I'm sorry Haley."

"But after school he's going to take me back to the house so I can be there when my mom calls and to make it sound like I have been staying there this past week."

"Maybe that gives you and Nathan some chance to work things out."

"Working things out is a bit of a far reach. I'd just like to get to a place where we can talk. I miss those days."

"Well, I think we might fix that."

"How?"

"I think I can talk to Karen into letting Tric open up for Tree Hill's season opening victory party."

"But what if we lose?"

"Then Tree Hill's season opening…let's do better next time party."

Haley laughed. "Alright, you're on."

"Keep the faith Haley, it always works out in the end."

"Easy for you to say…Mrs. Scott."

"AH! I feel like an old woman now!"

"You did marry Lucas, and you know, that qualifies for so many jokes. Especially since I wasn't even there."

"It was so sudden and so not in Tree Hill."

"When did our lives become all about the Scott boys."

"I was seven years old when this boy named Lucas Scott invaded my space at the river court to play basketball when I had a perfectly good spot for my art. It just grew from there."

"I was a nerdy school girl with eyes for the point guard named Nathan Scott."

"And not much changes, does it!"

Lucas sat down in Whitey's office.

"So, what's up coach?"

"Lucas, this team has come under a lot of scrutiny for you playing with HCM. Even though it's fifteen minutes per game, I have had phone calls every second of the day asking why you're playing when other kids can't. So, I made a decision. You won't play."

"Coach, it's only fifteen minutes and I scored the winning shot at the buzzer. You can't let me go because a few parents want their pride and joys to play on the team."

"I wasn't finished yet, and I had some idea you would make a plea for that remark, so I let you have that moment. However, the reason I called you into my office is because this team sees you as a leader. You have risen above hazing and the whispers about being Dan Scott's son. I think you have proven yourself to be one hell of a point guard."

"What are you saying, coach?"

"The athletic committee thinks that since I'm getting old that I should have an assistant. Well, the job is yours; if you want it."

"So I would go from point guard to assistant coach? Isn't there some rule against students being coaches?"

"I don't really care what the rules are. Fact is, you know these boys, you can lead these boys and you're the only one who can kick Nathan into doing his best. So, are you with me…coach Scott?"

"Yeah…yes, I'd love to. I just feel weird being assistant coach of a team I just played for last week."

"It's an adjustment. I haven't talked to anyone else about this. So the announcement will be made at practice today. So if you want to go tell your wife about this…"

"Sure, thanks coach, this is great."

"You can call me Whitey…coach."

Peyton was sitting on a bench in the courtyard when a pair of hands covered her eyes.

"Martin, we have to stop meeting this way, my husband will find us."

Lucas' face peered around. "Martin?"

"You know, as a backup in case you become this famous novelist and marry Kate Bosworth and forget all about everything in Tree Hill."

"Kate Bosworth?"

"I had this dream, and you were on a red carpet with Kate Bosworth…and it's not important."

"Okay, as long as it's a dream. But famous novelist, now that I could live with."

"I thought you had a thing with Whitey before practice?"

"That thing is what I wanted to talk to you about."

"So, what's up?"

"Because of my heart condition, there's a lot of I guess controversy of me playing. And Whitey took me off the team…he wants me as the assistant coach."

Peyton immediately smiled. "Luke, honey, that's great. So, next year, or…"

"Next game?"

"That quickly. But who's going to take your place?"

"Since I was only fifteen minutes a game, I never really had a spot. I just wore a jersey."

"Keith's jersey. And he is going to be so proud of you."

"I never thought being coach of Tree Hill Ravens would happen, especially not when I'm still a Tree Hill Raven."

"So now that you're assistant coach, what does that mean for Whitey?"

"According to him, the athletic board says he's getting old. That's all he said."

"This is fantastic Luke." She kissed him on the cheek. "We have to celebrate, but I have to get to my locker before practice. I'll see you there, Coach Scott."


	2. Chapter 2

Owen came out of class when Rachel caught up with him

Brooke walked into her house. She bumped right into the staircase.

"I guess that's something to get used to."

Victoria put down the bags on the side. "Do you want to see your room?"

"The doctor said I should look at albums, you know see myself as who I used to be."

"Well, okay. I have a lot from your childhood, but none recently. I think that you should ask your friends."

"Fitting since I don't remember having friends."

"I'm going to try and help you in any way that I can. So, would you like something to drink?"

"I don't know what I like?"

"I'll fix you a banana and pineapple drink, those are your favorite."

"Thanks Victoria…mom."

"You're welcome. The albums are on the table, go though whichever one you like."

Brooke sat herself down on the couch and opened up an album. She saw a young girl who looked like her having fun. Ice cream, birthday parties. She had a lot of friends. But one person stuck out in every picture?"

"Who is this?" She pointed to the blond.

"Peyton Sawyer, your best friend."

"If she's my best friend, how come she didn't see me in the hospital?"

"Sometimes it's hard for people to see their friend after something bad has happened."

"And why won't anyone tell me what happened?"

"Baby steps, Brooke, baby steps."

"Maybe you can tell me, what I was like before. Was I kind or was I mean?"

"Well, you were, what most would say…lost. You partied a lot and I hardly saw you. So it was like you weren't around most of the time."

"So I was a slut, if that's what I should be called."

"No honey, you were…adventurous."

"Is that what the doctor told you to say in an effort to keep me from knowing how horrible of a person I was?"

"No, it's nothing like that. But I would like you to take it one step at a time. When we go back to the doctor in a week, we can ask all those questions."

"Mom, did I keep a diary?"

"I think so, but I've never seen one, I keep thinking all girls keep some type of diary or journal."

"It's probably up in my room, if I can find my room."

"At the end of the hall, it's all purple."

"So, purple is my favorite color?"

"Yep. I gave you a purple monkey when you were little and ever since then every thing in your room had to be a shade of purple."

"I'll be upstairs then."

"Okay."

She walked up the stairs and slowly entered her room. Her mother was right, everything was purple. Brooke started to open up drawers in her nightstand to see what kind of life she has…or had.

"Whoa!" Brooke slammed the door shut. Slowly she opened it again to huge box. "I don't think I'll need those anytime soon."

"Finally." She picked up a photo pack and opened it up. She saw herself smiling in every picture, with the same boy almost every time. "I guess I have a boyfriend?"

Then Brooke found some pictures where she felt ashamed of herself. She tore them in half and threw them in the trash. "Slut was right."

A knock on the door sounded, Victoria peered her head around the corner.

"There is a boy down stairs to see you, his name is Lucas. I know you don't remember him, but he would like to talk to you."

"Sure, send him up."

Brooke got the urge to look at herself in the mirror, making sure all the hair was in place and her face looked good.

Lucas shut the door behind him. "Hey Brooke."

"Lucas, hi…how are you?"

"Pretty good, how are you feeling?"

"Good, I guess. I guess how I'm supposed to feel after a horrible accident and having no memory of what happened to me."

"I'm not here for me, I'm here for Peyton." Brooke noticed he kept playing with his ring…on his ring finger. "It's hard for her."

"You're married. Wow, high schools around here are sure advanced."

"I want you to know that Peyton does care, it's just hard for her, after everything."

"Yeah, it's hard for me too." Brooke was giving a confused look as to having a feeling they were talking about two different things.

Lucas sat down beside her, on the bed.

"I just wanted to see how you were."

"I'm fine."

"I guess I can go now."

"All you came to see is how I was. No questions about how I've been for the past six months, away from everyone, in a hospital?"

"Look, everything is just really hard. And I don't want to go into the Brooke Davis world again, it was too damn mixed up the first time."

"Hey, Lucas…"

"Yeah…" He stopped in the halfway of the door.

"Who's Peyton?"

"Funny Brooke."

"No, really, was she like my friend."

"Brooke you're not making any sense."

"And neither does all of this. Prior to me coming back home, I don't remember anything. All I know is that my name is Brooke Davis, I live in a nice house on Tattersalls Drive and I go to Tree Hill High School. I would love for someone, anyone to help me fill in the blanks for the first eighteen years of my life."

"I'm not the person to do that."

"Then who is. Because right now I feel like the next forty years are going to be me recovering what happened the day of the accident. Or what ever accident it was. Honestly, I could've been run over by a car or thrown over a bridge. I don't know, and everyone is just telling me that it'll come back, it'll come back. It could come back, and right now, it feels like no one wants me to let it come back. Was I a bad person?"

Lucas walked over to Brooke's computer and logged onto the internet.

"You posted videos of the Ravens victory parties online. Here's your former self. I'm not one to say you were a bad person, that's all one's own interpretation. I hate to judge people and right now, you don't know who you are or were. So, that would be a little unfair."

Brooke sat down in front of the computer and watched her life appear online. She started to cry about the many things she said about people and now not even knowing who they were. She saw so many videos of herself that it looked to be like a movie. Like someone who just happened to look like her doing all these mean things. So disgusted, she shut the computer off and ran downstairs.

"Mom, could you take me to see Peyton, because I want to know who she was so I can apologize for what my former self had done."

"It's late, but maybe tomorrow? You've had a long day, you should get some rest."

"No, now. I don't want my former self to be out there and for everyone to judge me based on her."

"Okay…we'll go."

Brooke took the piece of paper with the apartment address written on it. "Okay, apartment eleven." She stood in front of the door, afraid to knock. But the hard work was done for her when the door flew open in front of her. A very scary blond girl was on the side.

"What do you want?"

"You must be Peyton."

"Good one, and you're the lying bitch I'm gonna slam the door in front of."

"I'm sorry."

"So you think one 'I'm sorry' is going to fix a years worth of torment? You don't get it do you, I hate you…Brooke. I can't stand you. Stay away from me and you better stay away from my husband."

The door was slammed in Brooke's face and the lights were turned off.

"That did not go as planned."

Owen showed up for work at Tric. Karen had already gave him a list of drinks to make for the party being held there tonight.

Karen sat in front of him. Starring at the way he did everything.

"What?" Owen looked at her.

"Why are you here?"

"Well, shot in the dark, I work here."

"I thought you would be going to see Brooke."

"Why would I do that; and yes I heard she is out of the hospital."

"I remember you having quite the attraction to her when she showed up at this club."

"I was attracted to her, I will admit that. But that's all it was. I mean she just has this life that I can't keep up with."

"Maybe things are different."

"Hmm, yeah sure. And we'll just magically ride off into the sunset and get married. Sorry, I don't believe in fairytales."

"Fairytales aren't always about riding into the sunset. My son's father is Dan Scott. That's not the kind of fairytale I ever thought I would tell my daughter, Lily. But I am happy now, and I do believe in fairytales. And mine didn't involve a fairy godmother or any type of pumpkin made carriages. But it does involve being happy."

"Who says I'm not happy."

"The customers? Before when you were seeing or dating or whatever you doing with Brooke you were happy. You were excited. That bartender made me a lot more money."

"So this is a business arrangement for you?"

"No, it's not. I just want to see you happy. And I think we both know who can fix that."

A couple of minutes later, Owen say Lucas at the bar.

"Sitting there long enough to see your mother giving me advice?"

"No, but I've been there. She loves giving advice, it what makes her a great mom."

"I'm not her son."

"But she still gives great advice."

"About a girl I barely dated and really have no interest in dating again."

"That's what I said about Peyton, we were eleven, but I still said it."

"You dated Peyton at eleven?"

"No, just the part about not being interested in ever seeing her again. She would always take my juice box and give me her grape soda. I hate grape soda. I found it annoying, now I find it cute as hell."

"Why are you taking me a trip on memory lane?"

"Because the way you see things now, as messed up as they might be, it doesn't mean you'll always feel that way. And I went to see Brooke."

"And you're married to Peyton? Are you asking for a divorce, or just hinting loudly?"

"I love my wife, no doubt about that. But I am my own person, I make my own decisions. I knew no one would go see Brooke, but I'm glad I did. She's completely different. She has no memory of who she is, and that certainly includes you."

"Like this pep talk is supposed to change my mind."

"It's not supposed to do anything…I was never even here." Lucas walked away and hugged Karen goodbye before leaving.

Owen went back to his job and heard another person sit at the bar.

Before turning around. "You know it's really annoying, everyone giving advice." He stood there, in front of Brooke. "Sorry."

"No, it's okay. I've been getting a lot of that advice too. But considering my former self, I could probably use quite a bit of it."

"We're not open yet, happy hour starts later on."

"That's probably fair but considering I don't remember much about anyone or anything, that line or insult or whatever has no affect on me."

"As in, you don't know a few things?"

"I'm here because you have been in a lot of pictures that I have all over my room and I don't know who you are. Did we date?"

"For a little bit, yes."

"Okay, you seem to be sort of intolerable tone towards me; apparently we broke up and not on the best of terms."

"For us to break up, we would have had to have dated. We went out a few times, but nothing I would call a relationship to break from."

"Oh, okay. I guess I was hard to handle."

"In a few ways. Dragging you out of a bar when you're not even legal to drink yet was sort of getting old after the first time. You're life is a little above what I like to do for fun on weekends."

"How long did we…go out?"

"A few months. But hey, it's not big deal. You don't remember, and I…" He starred at her, not wanting to say the first thing that came to his mind. "And I moved on." And he didn't.

"At least you sound honest, looks are a different story. With having a memory loss, you get a chance to read what people say in difference to how they say it. And you know something Owen, you're a terrible liar."

"Maybe I was never telling the truth, maybe we don't know each other at all."

"Maybe…but I guess only time will tell, huh?"

Brooke got up and walked in the view of Peyton.

"Hi Peyton." She smiled.

She ignored Brooke's attempt to be nice and walked towards the bar. Brooke turned around to see Peyton talking to Owen, the conversation didn't look friendly so she took that cue for her to leave.

"And why was she here?"

"Peyton she has questions. I'm in a few pictures. And she wanted to know who I was."

"You know she's not allowed in here. No matter what."

"So what, because you had some fight about a high school problem you ban the girl from a club? A little immature, Mrs. Scott."

"Okay, don't forget, I do pay your salary. And you know, the unemployment line is getting a bit full, you might want to rethink your words."

"If I were say a little bit younger, maybe in high school, I'd care what you say. But right now, I don't. Oh, and since you hate Brooke Davis, you might want to talk to your husband. It seems you two have some words to get straight."

Peyton walked into Karen's office to see Lucas filling out papers.

"Have you talked to Brooke recently?"

He looked up. "I went to see her, if that's what you're asking."

"Why? What do you have in common with her?"

"I wanted to see how she was. She might have been a bad person, but I'm not. I do care about people, Peyton."

"Why her? She ruined everything."

"Almost everything, we still got married."

"You don't get it do you, I can't stand her."

"You can't stand her, that doesn't mean anything to me." He stood up and walked around the desk. "I know she hurt you, but she almost died Peyton."

"To her own fault."

"And whose fault was it when that guy gave you a drink laced with a date rape drug. No one forced you to drink it. You almost died. What makes you so much better?"

"I only hurt myself, she hurt everyone."

He turned around in the doorway. "You didn't get it that night and you don't get it now. You almost dying killed me, Peyton. I stayed with you the entire night, so did Haley. We looked up the drug, all the side affects and hoped that nothing bad would happen to you. So I know what it's like to almost lose something I really care about. I'm not saying I care a lot about Brooke, but everyone deserves a second chance."

"Wasn't her second chance like ten chances ago?"

"I'm not doing this Peyton. I'm not getting in between this thing between you and Brooke. Yeah, she was a bad person, everyone knows that. I love you and I think you know I'll always be there for you, but don't do this me. Don't put me in the middle. There's something you have to work out, I'll always be here for you. But not at the expense of alienating everyone else to do it."

"Lucas…"

"I'll see you at home, Peyton."

Peyton leaned up against the desk, the wind knocked out of her. Mostly because this was the first time he said that line. Before it was 'see you at home, Mrs. Scott' anything but the raw voice that he just displayed.

Later that night Peyton knocked on Brooke's bedroom door, letting herself in.

"Didn't think I'd ever see you again?" Brooke looked at her outfit. "Different from what I saw you in earlier."

"Here." Peyton handed Brooke an envelope.

She opened it up. "I was a cheerleader?"

"A damn good one too. I think everyone can agree you weren't always the most driven person in the right areas. But I think it's time you see that you were a good person."

"Why did you do this? A few hours ago you wanted to kick me off the planet?"

"I know you don't remember, so I'm going to fill in the details."

Brooke sat down and listened to Peyton's words.

"When we were kids, you promised me to make my wedding dress whenever I got married. And promised to provide a great band at your wedding. I honestly thought marriage would come later, but life comes fast. And you had told me all these details you were putting on the dress, but wouldn't let me see it until the day before the wedding. You assured me it was just like the pictures that I put up on your wall."

"I bet you looked beautiful in it."

"That's the easiest part of the story. The hardest part is telling you what actually happened. I went to go see my dress, the day before the wedding, there was no dress; there was no Brooke. You had apparently sold the dress to some pawn shop to get money to get out of town to go to some fiesta or something. I was so angry with you that you took our friendship for granted and went out and partied. But I forgave you. I actually got to wear Karen's wedding dress that she wore at her wedding to Keith. But the lie that broke everything was the day you skipped out Keith and Karen's one year anniversary party and never did anything. You promised you would send out the invitations, which I found later in the trash located in your bedroom. You promised a lot of things last year and you didn't live up to any of them. You broke my heart Brooke Davis. And I decided at that point that there wasn't going to be anything that you could do that would make us be friends again. We were best friends, we did everything together. And when you met Owen, I thought that this would be the one time in your life that everything would start to come together. Everything would be okay. But it got worse."

"Does this have to do with the accident that no one will tell me about?"

"Yeah." Peyton let a tear fall on the side of her face. "You don't know him, you probably never did before the accident. You were with Nikki, a really bad person. And the police report filed stated that you were like four times the legal limit. You were driving and I guess you want to go to the river court and all that I know is that you never stopped."

Brooke was crying too. "What did I do? Peyton, please tell me!"

"Marvin McFadden, we called him Mouth. He was on the bleachers. He had no idea what was coming. Everyone else ran when the car just knocked into the bleachers. Mouth didn't have a chance."

"I killed someone?"

"Everyone ruled it out as an accident, considering how drunk you and Nikki were. But it doesn't matter if you were drunk or you lost control, someone is dead."

"Wait, how is this true. I…"

"Dan Scott, Lucas' father is the mayor. He pulled a few strings and you walked free. He didn't know at the time if you would live or even be able to walk again. But you did it. That's why no one wanted to tell you, how do you cope with the idea you killed someone?"

"Then why did you tell me?"

"Because that was our thing, no secrets. I may be mad at you and want you out of Tree Hill, but what I really want more is my best friend back."

"Peyton, I'm here…not all the way, but I'm still here."

"No you're not…you and me, we're done." Peyton dried herself off and left the house.


	3. Chapter 3

Owen came out of class when Rachel caught up with him

Brooke found Haley after class at the lockers.

"Are you Haley?"  
She smiled. "Yeah, it's just weird you asking me my name when I can remember two weeks ago when we knew each other."

"Two weeks ago is another life for me. Principal Turner told me that you tutor and I need help in Calculus."

"Sorry, I can't help you."

"I know you're busy…"

"No, I'm not busy, I just can't stand you."

"Would you take five minutes out and see that I'm a different person?  
"Brooke, I've tried that and you know, it's the same lie every time." Haley slammed the locker and walked down the hallway.

"That went well."

Brooke sat down with her bag lunch and began to look around at everyone else who looked to be eating with someone else.

"I guess I made my bed, now I have to lie in it."

Haley sat down beside her without saying a word.

"Do you have me confused with someone else?"

"No. But Nathan isn't talking me and eating alone is boring. So here I am."

"You and Nathan are going out?"

"Yeah." Haley sighed. "So weird that you really have no idea who any of us are."

"Sorry."

"Actually, it might be good. I've been thinking and I know you have pretty much screwed over every person in this entire school and now you don't remember it. It's like a getting out of jail free card without being told why or being in prison and being accused of doing something you didn't do. Either way, you have a fresh start."

"Seems like I'm watching a video and living someone else's life. People I don't know or never have met already don't like me. I can't fathom how bad of a person I was before."

"Maybe it's better you don't remember your former self."

"That bad huh?"

"Let's just say you don't want to remember it. Pretty dark days."

"I know this means nothing to you, but you sitting here means everything to me."

"And that's part of the reason why I'm here. Before Luke joined the basketball team, it was us against the world. Nathan was the only Scott on the basketball team and I was tutor girl…or the school nerd, take your pick."

"Just because Lucas joined the basketball team, everything changed?"

"Pretty much. Nathan and I started hanging out and from there we started dating…or dated. Lucas and Peyton started going out, and well you can guess the history on that one."

"No one ever told me high school kids get married."

"They normally don't. But in Tree Hill, things aren't exactly normal."

"So I've noticed."

"As seniors, we can leave campus. Mind coming somewhere with me?"

"Sure."

Haley stopped the car at the cemetery.

"You have lunch at a graveyard."

"There's a purpose, come on."

Brooke and Haley walked around the cemetery until the stopped upon the black headstone.

"Anna Rebecca Sawyer…who is this?"

"Peyton's mom."

"Oh."

"Anna died in a car accident, on the way to pick up Peyton from school. She ran a red light."

"Gosh, so terrible."

"Look at the one right over there." Haley pointed towards the blue headstone.

"Looks like the uniforms."

"It's supposed to."

Brooke saw the name. "Marvin Mouth McFadden. The guy who is dead because of me."

"Yeah."

"You come here everyday?"

"Not everyday, but sometimes when I'm feeling a little down, I come and visit Mouth. Eat lunch and tell him how everyone is doing. At first it seemed stupid, like I'm talking to a rock. But mostly I know Mouth can here me, maybe even see me sometimes and even though he's not physically with us, he still hears what's going on."

"Now I don't know if I could possibly feel worse."

"That's not the idea of me bringing you here."

"Then why did we come here?"

"Peyton told me that she told you what happened. Why she can't forgive you."

"I can't say I blame her."

"It's going to take a long time for Peyton to trust you again, if she can. I bought you here so you can feel what she does. Mouth was an asset to everyone. He was the sports announcer for the Ravens, hence the Raven blue headstone. He was just a great friend. He was apart of Lucas' life when it was just the river court games."

"The river court?"

"We'll visit that later." Haley walked away from Brooke without saying anything. "Where are you going?" Haley didn't answer her, Brooke followed her to a tombstone. "Haley…"

"Anna Bethany Ross, she was a year old when she died."

"Did you know her?"

"No, I've never met her. But I just always stand right here and wonder what she could have died from at such a young age. And now a lot of others have so many second chances at life and live into their sixties. This little girl never had a chance."

"Maybe we should get back to school."

The day soon turned into dark and everyone in town seemed to be partying at Tric. Brooke convinced her mother to her out by herself for a few hours. This was the first time Brooke had an insight to her former life. She had no interest in whatever was going on until she saw Owen at the bar.

"Hey…" She smiled.

"Brooke, you gotta be twenty one to sit at the bar."

"And I thought you had to be twenty one to serve at the bar. Neither of us fit either qualifications."

"Fine, just don't try and order a drink that turns you into…your former self."

"Believe me; I've had enough reminders of my former self today that I can't imagine how I would have acted in a place like this."

"Long day?"

"Yeah." Brooke was about to explain her day until girls started coming up to the counter, ordering drinks.

She watched as the girls, beautiful girls, flirt with Owen just because he was the bartender and had all the drinks. He started checking ID and immediately started serving them drinks. Brooke watched Owen as he smiled and seem to flirt back with the girls. They left and Owen went back to cleaning up the counter.

"So is that how it works. They flirt and you give that back to them?"

"They talked about how they were new in town and wanted to know where they could find the local mall. I told them where it would be and that was it. Looks can be deceiving, I thought you would be an expert on that by now."

"I'm sorry, it's just I don't know how people act in this town. It still feels like I'm living someone else's life."

"If it makes you feel any better, I like this version of you."

"Thanks. I don't feel like a role model or anything, but I guess I'm better than my former self."

"I'm getting off in a little while, do you want to take a walk or something…get some dinner?"

"Sure. I just have to call my mom and tell her where I'll be."

Owen laughed. "Sure."

"Why is that so funny? You're a college man who doesn't have to check in, but I'm still in high school and that's apart of my life."

"I'm not laughing at you. Victoria never struck me as the type who cared if you stayed out late or if you even came home at all."

"I can't confirm or deny that, I can only speak for the person I see today."

"I'm glad she's chosen to reform her life."

"I guess life is about second chances."

Peyton walked up to the bar. "I hired a new guy who's filling in, so you can go."

"I don't leave for another hour."

"Then let's just say you get to cut out early, see you next weekend…bartender boy."

"Sure."

Owen stepped outside to see Brooke sitting on the steps looking at her cell phone. He sat down beside her.

"You look sad."

"I think I can honestly say you might be right."

"About what?"

"Victoria. I called her to say where I was going and when I might be home and before I said anything she had to ask who I was. I think she was drinking. By the end of the call it was like she couldn't wait to get me off the phone. Like I interrupted her nightly party or something."

"I'm sorry…if it means anything."

"I guess you did warn me. I just hate that everyone around here seems to be right and I seem to be playing the cards."

"What?" He laughed.

"I don't know what I mean. All I know is I can't go back home…to Brooke's home. As far as I can tell, I'm not Brooke Davis. I look like her, dress like her, but I certainly do not act like her. Brooke Davis is like a person I never wanna meet. Maybe everyone should call me Penelope."

"Who's Penelope?"

"That's my middle name, or so the doctor report stated that I have in the house."

"I can't take you away from your problems, but I guess we can forget about them for a few hours."

"Anywhere but here."

Hours later they walked up to his door.

"I thought the evening was supposed to end with you walking me to my door."

"Who said the night was over?" Brooke smiled, so did Owen. "It's my apartment. Your former self saw it, so it feels like I'm showing it you for the first time."

"So this is like a date."

"Depends on how the night ends."

"I never want it to end."

Brooke walked into the apartment was completely amazed. Just captivated by the idea that he has an entire life in this apartment. Brooke looked at Owen and then ran into his bedroom and jumped on the bed. Owen slowly walked to his door.

"Not exactly what I had in mind."

"No, not that. I've always wanted to jump on a bed. I've seen kids do it all the time and you know, it looks so much fun. So whenever I go to someone's apartment, I have to jump on the bed. I've done it my entire life."

"You're entire life, as in your whole eighteen year life or the past month life."

Brooke stopped, looked up at Owen. "I don't know. It feels like it's been an eighteen year life, but I don't remember it. Like I have this want to do it, but I have no idea why."

"Maybe it's first step."

"You said that this isn't what you had in mind. So, what did you have in mind, bringing me to your pseudo bachelor pad apartment?"

"The idea of bringing a girl that I like to my apartment is kind of cool."

"So you like me."

"Yeah."

"I like you too."

Owen starred into Brooke's eyes, knowing fully of what things could lead to. "Food."

"What?"

"I mentioned food before we left Tric and you know, I'm starving…are you?"

"I guess…but…"

"Let's go." He grabbed her hand and they left his apartment.

Two months of school had passed and the fighting between the cheerleaders got worse. The girls were fighting over which guy is with which girl. Before the accident, Brooke organized a Fantasy Boy Draft to decide which cheerleader gets which guy….the entire season.

Brooke knocked on Peyton's door. She was repeating the last time Peyton and her met at this door step.

"Hey Brooke, come on in."

"Better conversation than last time."

"Well, we're here to settle our differences."

"Why? I'm not even a cheerleader and everyone here is a cheerleader?"

"One of the ideas you had as cheer captain was really good. A Fantasy Boy Draft. Each girl has a number in a compact and whatever number she has, that number is who her guy is. So…here you go." Peyton handed her a compact.

Brooke looked at the board. "Oh, wait, number three is missing?"

"That's Lucas?"

"He can't be drafted."

"No, he's married. Married boys are not allowed."

"Says who?"

"Says me, the official rules leader or whatever. Pointless considering Lucas and I live together."

"Sure, whatever."

Haley stood in front of everyone.

"As Peyton said earlier in the week, the number in your compact is the number guy you get. Throughout the season that guy is yours, everyone else keeps their hands off. In the first week, if you decide to switch, you can. After that, choices are locked."

Brooke raised her hand. "What's the deal breaker if say, they cheat?"

"Excellent question. There's an honor code. In this room sits a group of girls who have a secret that everyone else is entrusted with. Let's just say that when one of you got drunk you made out with another one of you. Oh, there is footage. That's the honor code. You cheat, your very private life is exposed. So it's kind of like politics. You lie like big Bill, we will spill. Easy enough."

They dished out the numbers and everyone was selected.

"Except me, I haven't called out my number and there are no boys left."

"What is your number."

Brooke made a face. "Three."

"Then you'll just have to go it alone, you don't know anybody so this whole fantasy draft probably means nothing to you."

"Sure it does. I talked to Peyton earlier and she said Lucas was number three. So I have number three, so I guess Lucas is mine."

"Lucas isn't a choice, he's my husband."

"And what about the honor code. I may not remember good ole Peyton Scott, but I'm sure I can get dumb and dumber to squeal on you."

"Fine, but it's not like he's going like it."

"I never said he'd like it, I never said anything at all." Brooke threw the compact in the trash and sat down.

Haley sat beside Brooke when refreshments were served. "The old Brooke is sitting in just fine as the new Brooke."

"What do you mean?"

"That right there is what the old version of you would do. Take ownership and defy Peyton of any kind of happiness."

"Then maybe she should have Lucas, I mean he married her, why would he be interested in me."

"Rules are the rules. And you know, I think it would be nice for you to spend some time getting to know us again."

"Well it's not like Lucas is the one I want to get cozy with."

"Is there someone you want to get cozy with?"

"His name is Owen."

"The bartender at Tric?"

"Yeah."

"You two dated before the accident."

"He told me we went out a few times, but my lifestyle was too accelerated for him."

"Probably true. This thing is probably over soon, what were you doing afterwards."

"Killer test…gonna study."

Haley laughed, but turned serious at the sight of Brooke's innocent face. "Oh, you're serious."

"Why not, always prepared?"

"Just the old you would probably be brushing dust off your books and not actually wanting to read them."

"I changed."

"It's a good change."

Peyton grabbed Haley from the couch.

"Ouch…hello, talking."

"To Brooke, why?"

"Peyton, she's nice. You know, maybe this memory loss was a good thing. I know she probably will get her memory back but you don 't know if she'll be the same person she used to be. Anything would be a positive change."

"We had a fight in her bedroom and I told her about some of the stuff she did. The way she screwed up my wedding dress. Made a wreck of Keith and Karen's anniversary party."

"Why?"

"I don't know if it's because I'm mad at what she's done or it's because I want her to know her former life so she's not walking around like a zombie in Brooke Davis' body."

"I like the second excuse better."

"Sort of feel like I hurt things more than helped them."

"You cant' make it worse. I just feel bad that she sees everyone as she's known them for a month. We see her as the girl we've known our whole lives. You know, we see two totally different people. To be honest, I'd like to know the girl in the now. I'd like to be friends with her."

"I've spent so long being mad at her, it's hard to find the ways to be nice to her."

"First of all, you can be nice to her for picking number three. We all know Lucas loves you, he's not going to do anything that would jeopardize that."

"I know, it's just jealousy rears it's ugly head."

"Don't be jealous, she's got the hots for bartender boy."

"Owen?"

"Either him or Jacob…which I believe he is same sex oriented."

"Good point."

Nathan walked into the living room to see Haley flipping through channels.

"Hey…I thought your parents were coming home today."

"They are, but they told me to be ready when they pick me up at the Scott house. I talked to Deb and she said it was okay."

Nathan sat down beside her. "Is this how you really watch television…one second per channel?"

"Keeps my mind busy."

"I was hoping we could talk."

"About what? We have nothing to talk about." Haley was chewing on a carrot stick.

Nathan gently grabbed the remote and turned the television off. "The one thing we've been bouncing around for the past few months."

"Oh."

"I hope you know by now that I really do care about you and would never pressure you into anything that you weren't really ready for. And I respect that. It's just hard. I haven't really had a relationship before where I had to wait. It was always about sex and not really much else. You are a challenge for me, Haley. A good challenge."

"So what does this mean for us?"

"What do you want it to mean?"

"I want it, I want everything with you. It's all I think about it. It's just when we get to that place there's something inside of me that screams stop and just everything just goes crazy. At first I kept ignoring the subject because I didn't know how to talk to you. I didn't know what to say or how to say it. It felt like everything I said was just putting the knife in even harder and making you feel worse."

"Yeah, it hurt with the countless amounts of phone calls that were never returned. I think I left you like fifty messages then I decided to take the hint. It felt like I did something wrong and that's why I didn't call you back when the phone calls started coming. It was weird. I guess we both felt the same things…at different times."

"How do you feel now?"

"Sometimes, like an idiot. I still, right now, fell like there is pressure, and I don't want you to feel that way, never. I want you to feel like you can share that with me and not be afraid of anything."

"I'm never afraid of filling out college applications that could send me a thousand miles away, but I'm afraid of being intimate with you."

"You don't have to be scared."

The door knocked and Haley's parents came in. Both Haley and Nathan stood up quickly to greet her parents.

"Mom, dad…I thought you weren't arriving until tonight."

"With traffic and everything, be better to come back early. Did you have a nice time at the Scott House?"

"Yeah, Deb was great."

"Oh, that's good. Are you ready…do you need a few minutes to grab your things?"

"I knew you were coming back today, so I already took them to the house. I just have a bag."

"Well, okay. We'll be in the car."

"Okay."

Haley shut the door behind them, looking nervously up at Nathan.

He smiled. "Awkward moment."

"There's a lot of that around my house. I'm the baby; I don't think they know what to do with the silence."

"So, are you going to be staying here anymore, or is this it?"

"Do you want me to come back? A few weeks ago, the awkward silence could be heard all around the house."

"It's just that…" The horn outside sounded. "I miss you."

"I have to go, my parents are impatient. So…talk tomorrow."

"Yeah, sure. I have stuff to do anyway, so, yeah, and tomorrow it is."

"Goodbye Nathan."


	4. Chapter 4

Owen came out of class when Rachel caught up with him

Brooke ran down the stairs when Victoria called up for dinner.

"So, what's on the menu?"

"Cheese and Pepperoni."

"Oh, you said this morning that it was a home cooked meal…like we used to have."

"Brooke…I tried to get the things for dinner, but meetings ran late, and this is dinner."

"I'm not complaining, it's just I thought I would be able to sit down with a real dinner and talk to my mom about her day. Seems eating in the same room isn't going to happen."

"We can eat in the living room, there's a good movie on, your favorite."

"No offense, but that could be any movie and I wouldn't know difference. But I could like it. Let's go eat." Brooke grabbed two pieces and put them on a plate. As she used to, Brooke plopped herself on the couch and put her plate on a pillow.

"Just like old times. You would come home from a game and tell me how the Ravens would win…or mostly lose. And we'd talk about other things. What do you want to talk about?"

"You never came to any one of my games?"

"I don't think you wanted me there. You had your friends and that was your time to be head cheerleader."

"I guess I'm just a different person now. But I did meet this boy, my former self did, and he's really nice."

"Oh, what's his name?"

"Owen. He bartends at Tric when he's not in class."

"In class; as in out of high school and too old for you?"

"He's only twenty, mom. He'll be twenty-one around the time I turn nineteen so it's only a two year difference."

"I am younger than your father, so I guess as long as the connection is there."

"I believe it is. When I'm with him, I feel complete, even though most of my life is a complete blank."

"They all start out that way, Brooke. I just hope he knows what he's getting into."

"What is that supposed to mean."

"I know you don't remember your former self, as you put it, but I met him a few times and he's a good guy, but not really interested in that Brooke Davis. And sooner or later you will get your memory back and probably return to your old, guilty pleasure ways."

"So this whole experiment, and me being a different person will all go away when the light switch is turned on and I remember everything."

"Yes, the doctor says it will happen in spurts, but your memory will fully return."

"You don't know that, no one knows that. I could get my memory back tomorrow or never get it back. All I've heard is how much of a terrible person I was. And how I ruined people's lives and destroyed friendships. You know, if I do get my memory back, I will feel even worse than I do right now. Because everyone tells me what I've done and I feel terrible that I have done those things, whether I remember them or not. Then after the memory is back, I'll actually know what I've done and why I did. I don't want to know. I just want everything to be okay. To remember how everything is right now. Except this, you know, Owen was right. He told me how terrible you were and you know, I'm starting to see that." Brooke threw the pizza on the table and grabbed her jacket, heading towards the door.

"Brooke's it's the middle of the night, where are you going?"

"I don't know, and right now, that seems a lot better than here."

Owen arrived at his apartment to find Brooke lying on the floor, up against the door. She had fallen asleep.

He took his keys softly out of his pocket, waking her up. "Sleep well?"

She looked around, then up at Owen. "I never meant to fall asleep. I didn't know when you got off, so I just stayed."

"Why didn't you come and visit me at the club?"

"Because then you might say not to what I'm about to ask you." They went inside and Brooke sat on a stool at the counter. "I don't think I can stay there anymore."

"At home?"

"If that's what home is. My mom promised to have a home cooked meal and when she said it was time for dinner, there was a pizza box on the counter. I settled, then we went to watch a movie and she just started criticizing me how once I get my memory back I'll return to the girl I was. I know that was a bad person, but I feel as though I've changed and won't go back to being that person."

"It's whatever you feel is right. All of what Victoria says can't be true, right?"

"She also said once I get my memory back you'll leave because you couldn't stand my lifestyle."

"Part of that is true. I couldn't be around your lifestyle. It was too much for me. But if you get your memory back, that doesn't mean I'll leave."

She put her hands over his. "Thank you. That's probably the only good advice I'll here. All the stuff I've heard is bad."

"Everyone deserves a second chance."

"Then why do I feel like my second chance was like a hundred chances ago."

"I don't think that matters now."

"What do you think? Your opinion matters to me."

"I saw you before the accident and everything was crazy. You were everywhere, never a dull moment. And now, you're still. You stay in one place and you like to see things more than once. It's a nice change."

"I hate that I lost you because of my need for fun."

"Since you don't know, I'm going to tell you the reason we hooked up. Your friends do care. I know that because around four in the morning, I get this call from Peyton asking for my help. I went to Tree Hill High School and went through some difficult times with the alcohol and the drugs and I got addicted, quickly. Eventually I sobered up, got the help I needed and got a great AA Sponsor. Peyton asked me to be your AA Sponsor."

"But we broke up, so that means you must've given up, as I was a lost cause."

"No one is ever really lost, Brooke. You were just misguided. The reason why I took my distance is because I really saw that wanted help, but all attempts to try hadn't been successful. So I backed off, I wanted you to come to me for help, and I would be here for you."

"I guess the accident interrupted that."

"I just couldn't do it. Once an addict, always an addict. It was a temptation. You were very tempting. I was going to talk to some people, get you help and get you another sponsor. But then, yes, the accident interrupted that."

"I'd say changed." Owen headed towards the door when someone started knocking. Victoria's voice was on the other side. Owen looked back quickly, whispering, "Hide." Brooke ran into his bedroom and quietly shut the door. He finally opened the door. "Victoria?"

"That's Mrs. Davis to you, bartender boy. Where is my daughter. She ran out of the house and considering she doesn't know anybody and barely has friends, I knew she'd be here. Please send her out so I can take her home."

"I would, but she's not here."

"Come on Owen, no games. It's late, I'm tired and I know she's here."

"What makes you think she's here?"

Victoria looked around. She picked up a jacket. "Looks like my daughters."

"Really? Because I have a sister and she was here this afternoon. She has a terrible habit of leaving her stuff. And if Brooke was here, I'd be smart enough to hide it."

"Well, then you believe in yourself more than I do. But I guess I have to take your lies for this evening. When you see Brooke, please send her home."

"Why? You might get worried the parent's association would find out you're not a perfect mother."

"Excuse me, you have no right to question my abilities of being a mother."

"Right, because you have none. You treat Brooke like she's the second coming, like you had her just to say you have a daughter. It's sick."

"Look young man, you're what twenty years old. You have no idea what I have gone through to help Brooke. I was there day and night with her when she was in the hospital and all I get is constant sarcasm for a boy who walked away because my daughter was too tough to handle."

"As I remember, you were happy when I was gone. You even visited me at Tric to say how much better off Brooke was without me."

"Well, let's not go down memory lane."

"It is a two way street."

"Yes it is. Well, just be sure to send Brooke home in the morning."

"If I see her."

"Whatever." Victoria slowly walked out of the apartment and Owen waited until he heard the elevator doors open. "Come on out."

Brooke slowly walked out. "Do you even have a sister?"

"No, I don't. So now thanks to you, I have to bribe some poor girl to be my sister when Victoria checks me out."

"Checks you out, over the chance you may or may not have a sister?"

"She's got that look in her eye."

"Thanks for doing that. You could've had me come out when she started insulting you."

"I can take it, you've been through too much." Brooke sat there wondering where her next turn would be. She smiled when Owen handed her part of the takeout. "Enjoy."

"Yeah, I'm hungry, but…"

"You always used to grab a fork and say you never took half of the food, but you always do. Eventually, I just gave up."

"I do not mooch off food, Owen."

"How would you know if you do or not?" They were sitting on the couch about to watch a movie.

"What movie?"

"Don't laugh. How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days."

"Since I don't know the movie, how do you lose a guy in ten days?"

"It's good, but don't tell anybody about this, I still have to live down liking Ghost."

"Never heard of it."

Owen looked at her weird, and then remembered she doesn't know much about movies anymore. "Sit back, enjoy."

Rachel set her book down on the table at the café and grabbed a menu. She noticed a tiny girl walking her way.

"So, what can I get you?"

"Is there a special?"

"Tuna on rye with a side of potato salad."

"Sure, I'll have that."

"Be right back." She turned quickly. "What did you want to drink?"

"A coke is fine."

Rachel opened her book and started reading the material for the upcoming quiz. She looked outside and saw Lucas and Peyton turning towards the café. She hasn't spoken to them since she left Tree Hill a couple of years before. She hid her face behind a menu.

Lucas went outside to use his phone. Peyton sat at the bar in front of Haley.

"Who's the spy?"

Haley laughed. "Just a customer, a little familiar, but probably just a repeat."

"So, how are you Nathan doing? Did you talk to him?"

"Yeah, we did talk, we talked for a long time. I told him how I felt."

"That's awesome. What did he say."

"He felt like he did something wrong when I backed away. So we got our signals crossed."

"Any chance of getting the signals on the right path."

"There is practice after school today, so who knows. It's like a new day." Haley excused herself to deliver the drink. "Here you go ma'am. Would you like a straw?"

"No, thanks, this is fine."

"Okay." Haley walked away and eyed Rachel. The menu was still covering her face and didn't know why.

"Maybe we should ask her what department of the CIA she's in."

Haley laughed. "She might get offended. She might really be interested in what type of desserts the café has."

"Haley she's close enough to eat them off the menu."

"She's just a customer, I just let them be." Haley noticed Lucas on the phone. "Who's Luke involved with on the phone?"

"Whitey probably, official Coaching business."

"What are you talking about?"

Peyton gave Haley a funny look. "You didn't find out, Luke didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what? Is he off the team?"

"Sort of. Whitey gave him an assistant Coaching job."

Haley squealed. "That's fantastic. I wonder why he didn't tell me."

"He may want to surprise you. This afternoon is his first day as Coach Scott."

"Hmm, that sounds really nice."

"Believe me, it's the sexiest thing I've seen him do yet, and I've seen him do…" Peyton paused at Haley's awkward face. "Sorry."

"Now I must go in the back and scratch out my eyes from that vision dancing in my head." The buzzer sounded and Haley picked up Rachel's order. "Be right…back." Haley looked at the vacant seat and a few dollars on the table. "Why did she just leave? That's happened to me twice today. What is this, ditch Haley James day?"

"She could've at and then left without paying." Peyton picked up a French fry.

"It's tuna on rye with…oh crap, she wanted potato salad."

"Maybe that's why she left, you're a terrible waitress Hales."

Haley threw her rag in Peyton's face. "Funny."

"I thought it was."

Lucas finally came in, both girls starring at him.

"Do I have something on my face?"

"No, but I think we may have to get a divorce."

"What are you talking about?"

"You see, I think you're cheating on me?"

"What?"

"With the phone, I mean you see that phone more than you see me at school. That's a cause for drastic changes Mister."

"Whitey wants me really prepared for my first practice as coach. He's been giving me all these notes. After this afternoon, the phone calls will stop."

"Good and the visits at night?"

"He has nobody else."

"Oh, Lucas, husband of mine, everyone always has someone…maybe sometimes mechanical."

"Not a vision I want."

Haley chimed in. "Don't worry Luke; she's a pro at giving you unwanted visions today. It's a gift."

That evening practice started on time. The cheer practice, not so lucky.

"There's nine girls, where's the tenth."

Bevin pointed to Peyton. "Counting you is ten."

"Counting me is nine, Bevin." Peyton started pointing at each girl. "Theresa, Melissa, Erica, Kenzie, Bevin, Haley, Me, Ashley and finally Lisa." Peyton looked at her list. "Then I guess we are complete."

Haley half way raised her hand. "There's only nine girls, our cheers or formatted for ten girls."

"One girl decided to have a memory lapse." Just then Brooke came in with a cheer bag. "And I have to be in a nightmare."

"I'm not here to be on the team, I came here to bring my stuff back, maybe you can give my uniform to another girl."

"I don't know any other girl would be able to wear it."

"I washed it, its fine, just like new."

"No, not that, with your before lifestyle, I can't trust where that uniform has been."

Brooke glanced at the girls staring at them. "Peyton, you hate me, I get it. But don't do this. It's bad enough to know you hate me for stuff I can't remember doing. Don't penalize the team."

"I won't. And since bringing in a new girl who isn't capable of learning the new routines fast enough, I guess you will have to remain on the team."

"Peyton, remember, I don't remember being a cheerleader."

"Your mind forgets, your body doesn't. Let's see what you can do, captain."

Brooke got in the back beside Haley and started to stretch. "Is she serious?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"But why? What good am I with not knowing the routines at all."

"To torture you. She lets her emotions get the better of her and she reacts on them."

"How long would she keep this up?"

"Until she feels better or you transfer to another school. And you know, I can see option B happening a lot faster than option A.

The fifteen minute break came quickly and Lucas went to talk to Peyton.

"You're giving everyone quite a workout."

"It's the start of the season, everyone needs to shape up."

"And if Brooke wasn't one of them, would you even bother?"

She shot him a bad look. "I'm doing this for my team, a team that got thrown into my lap."

"I'm not accusing you of anything. But she doesn't remember anything; give her a chance to change."  
"About that divorce thing I mentioned, why don't you marry Brooke, you seem to be giving her a lot more support than me." Peyton got up and called the girls back over.

"Peyton, it's only been five minutes."

"So cry me a River. We have to come out strong this season. Midnight Madness is really important and we have to be perfect."

They started the routine and Brooke followed everyone. She caught on quickly. It was like she had remembered everything. "This is really cool, I actually remember this stuff." Haley went to congratulate her.

Owen had showed up just as practice was about over. He smiled and waved at Brooke.

Lucas asked Nathan. "Is that Owen?"

"Yeah, I wonder why he's here; he was really clear on never returning to Tree Hill ever again." Nathan watched Owen when hew as watching Brooke. "But it looks like he might have a good reason." He pointed Lucas in the direction of Brooke.

"She deserves it."

"Hey, what's with the Brooke is this Saint bought down from the heavens."  
"You've been talking to Peyton?"

"No, but the way you talk about Brooke makes me wonder."

"I love my wife."

"You love her, I know that, and you also have a thing for keeping everyone out of Brooke's way."

"Everyone deserves a second chance."

"Yeah, everyone else does. You were there, I was there…Mouth was there. Remember the greatest sports announcer for the Tree Hill Ravens; he should've won like awards. Remember his funeral service, too?"

"I remember, I was there. I was the one who called 911."

"Then how can you stand there and defend how Brooke should get a second chance."

"Because I want to remember the girl who bought me into this world. She was nice and sweet."

"And didn't she also leave Peyton at a concert in Charlotte all by herself because she was too drunk to remember that Peyton existed. Karen went to go pick her up, in the middle of the night. You're gonna defend that girl who did that to your wife?"

Brooke was sipping on her water bottle when Owen surprised her.

She whispered. "Choking would not be good."

"You ready to go?"

"Yeah, practice just finished."

"Then, let's go." Owen grabbed her bag then grabbed hold of a ball gliding down the court. He was ready to throw it back but instead he let the bag fall of his shoulders and let the ball glide out of his hands, making a perfect shot through the hoop. Everyone looked at him. "What, you've never seen a former Raven make a shot?"

Brooke was taken aback. "Former Raven?"

"Yeah, all four years."

"Hmm, how come you never told me?"

"Because basketball became such a big part of my life and now I sort of resent it."

"But that shot you made, it was perfect." Brooke walked through the door Owen held open for her. "I mean, scholarships had to be on the table."

"By the time I gradated, I barely survived addiction. Senior year things got pretty dark when I realized that high school was over. I would have to start all over.'

"So, I guess you knew me back then, the old me."

"I don't like to judge people."

"So you never told me what we were doing tonight."

"Dinner reservations."

"Oh, nice fancy restaurant. Or a casual restaurant since I'm so not dressed for fancy."

"You're dressed perfectly."

"Alright."

They ended up at the door.

"Are we making a pit stop to your apartment, then dinner?"

Quietly, Owen opened up the door and Brooke walked into a candlelight dinner. "You're right; it's not a fancy restaurant."

"But it's private, cozy and just the two of us."

Brooke walked over the table. "Interesting. Electronic candlelight, paper plates and hamburgers."

"College student."

"I love it."

"Did you want to change first?"

"Uhh…yeah, you know that sounds like a good idea. I'm gonna go change." Brooke took her bag into Owen's bedroom, shutting the door behind her.

Brooke got the shopping bag out of her bag. During the lunch hour, Brooke went downtown and bought a nice camisole. She wanted to be sexy for Owen, even though she really has no idea how to do that. The girls at the store were helpful in suggesting what Owen might like. Brooke slipped it over her body and looked at herself in the mirror. She only saw her face, but that was enough to know that her hair was not the way she imagined it. Quickly she took her hair down and started fixing it. Then she was startled by Owen knocking at the door.

"Brooke, you alright, it's been a while."

"Actually, could you come in, I need your help."

"Sure." He opened up the door to see Brooke standing in a gray camisole leaning against the bed. "And what did you need my help with."

"I'm not good at this, so I'm just going to come out and ask. Have you thought about sleeping with me…umm, sex, I mean."

"Well…you aren't…"

She walked towards him. "Take away the fact that I don't remember what happened six months ago. Just remember me now."

"Yeah, I have, sometimes."

She gave him a look with a smile. "Sometimes?"

"Seeing you like this, in this…you've thought about it too."

"I'm tired of us just kissing. I'm tired of just sitting next to you or you holding me. I want to feel you, and I want you to feel me."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Just…kiss me."

Owen placed a kiss on her lips and Brooke let her tongue grab onto his.


	5. Chapter 5

Owen came out of class when Rachel caught up with him

_The next morning_

Peyton was sitting on the couch looking at the rain coming down. It was a Sunday morning and all she wanted to do was watch the rain. The night before had been worse, and nothing related to weather wise. Lucas and Peyton finally had the biggest fight of their relationship.

FLASHBACK

"I never thought it was a big deal. A few times with out the pill? We both want kids."

"Peyton, everything that I love about you revolves around your honesty. Not being afraid to tell me the truth, no matter how bad it gets. And you lied to me about being protected. Anything could've happened."

"Pregnancy, I know."

"And I want us to have kids, I really do, I can't wait for that. But we're in high school and it's just not the time."

She looked up at him. "So the pill is leaves that one percent for something to happen. Let's say I did get pregnant and was on the pill, faithfully."

"Then we would have a baby. I'm not saying having a baby right now would be the end of the world, but it'll be tough. We're barely making it as it is. My mom gives me this sad look whenever I walk into the café. We both work all the time when we're not in school."

"Then when is the right time? After we leave Tree Hill, these fantastic jobs that are a million dollars a year aren't going to pop out of the sky. Lucas, I love you, I want to have a baby with you. I never meant to get pregnant, I just slipped. And things were good, and I got too happy to care. But don't ever think that I was trying to lie to you in order to get pregnant or form some plan against you."

"I have this dream that you walk into the room and you tell me you're pregnant and we're so happy. And I want that, then I wake up and I'm reminded of how we're just in high school and everything is so different from being older.

"So when does this go away. When do we get passed this?"

"We love each other and we will get passed this. I know we can."

Peyton saw Lucas grab his keys. "Where are you going?"

"I have to get some air. I'll be back."

"Lucas…" She called out after him, but he shut the door.

END FLASHBACK

Peyton looked at her phone, no messages or missed calls. She sat in the bedroom for a while and then the rain started coming down, so she sat in the living room. Peyton wanted to be there right when Lucas came back. The door knob started to turn. Peyton got up and dried her tears. It was Haley who waved back at her with a sad look.

"I'm not Lucas, I'm sorry."

Peyton fell back down on the couch. "It's not that I expect him to walk through the door and magically everything is okay. I just want to know that he's okay."

Haley held up her phone. "I got a text this morning, he's fine. He went to stay over at Nathan's house."

"I guess he told you about the fight."

"Well no, but for him to text me in the middle of the night, at five am, it has to be something serious."

"I got reckless and was so blissed out happy that I sort of just stopped taking the pill for a few days."

Haley's face almost popped out. "What? Peyton, it's a necessity unless you want to walk around with a baby stroller to every class. What made you do this? You're the most responsible person I know and you're so careful."

"I'm in love with my husband and I want a family. I know it's really selfish to think that way, but things were so good. Luke got the assistant Coach's job. Seemed that everything was going to be okay."

"Did you even talk to Lucas about it, even after the first slip?"

"No. I mentioned it last night. Ever since I stopped, I had felt so guilty about not taking it and not telling him, but I always found excuses to keep quiet."

"I really don't know what to say."

"Neither do I. I've been on the couch all night hoping Lucas would call or just come home." Peyton started to cry.

"You look great for not sleeping." Haley showed a big bright smile of encouragement.

"Doesn't help and you're a horrible liar. You always smile when you lie."

"It's a fault. Have you tried calling Lucas this morning?"

Peyton nodded. "No. I want to give him time to process everything and not rush him into something, like another fight."

"It's been a few hours; I'd say you should talk to him. Lucas loves you and I'm sure this is killing him, too."

"I just feel like dying right now."

Lucas walked down the stairs, Nathan was watching basketball.

"Hey little brother."

Nathan looked back. "Whoa, you look like hell."

"Fight with your wife doesn't make you look pretty."

"I used your phone to text Haley to say you were okay. She wouldn't have believed me if it was just from me."

"Did you text Peyton?"

"No. I didn't want to get involved. What makes you come here at like midnight needing a place to stay?"

"I had a fight with Peyton."

"You said that already."

"She's not on the pill."

Nathan gave him a look. "Ever?"

"No, just the past week. She didn't tell me because we were too happy for her to care."  
"Ouch, sorry bro."

"I love Peyton, and I always will, but I don't want to be Dan. I don't want to have to choose in life because I got carried away."

"You will never be Dan, just like I will never be Dan. This, you coming here, all about not becoming Dan and not about giving you and Peyton some space?"

"A little of both. When I asked Peyton to marry me, I knew we would be different than the way it was for Dan and my mom. I wanted things to be different. And it just doesn't seem like Peyton would do this. Like someone else made this decision for her."

"Peyton has always stood up for herself, remember, she stood up against the cheer squad when they wanted to change the uniforms."

Lucas smiled. "She had the attention of the entire basketball team that day, that's for sure."

"Whitey started yelling about how uniforms aren't apart of practice. He was so mad. It was funny. It definitely took the edge off of practice for a little bit."

Lucas threw his head back. "What have I done?"

"You have to go back."

"When did stuff get like this? We used to just play for the Ravens, have stupid parties and that was our lives. When did things change?"

"The day you said I do."

"Thanks, real helpful."

"Always the leader."

"Keep that on the court and we might win some games this season."

"Ouch. You haven't lost your edge."

Brooke woke up smiling to the rain thumping the window.

"Morning Owen." She heard no response and turned over to find herself in an empty bed. "Owen?" She called out and heard walking around. Quickly she grabbed one of his shirts and ran out the room. But stood there to see a thin red-head walking around.

"You must be Brooke."

Brooke pulled the shirt down further over her legs. "And you're in the wrong apartment, this is Owen's place."

"Yeah, I'm Rachel. He never cleans up and sometimes I help him out. He does a lot of stuff." She looked at Brooke's attire. "Apparently more than I realized."

"Do you know when Owen might be back?"

"I guess you don't know that he goes and visits his parents every weekend in Charleston. It's a weekly thing; he's very close to them."

"So I guess he won't be back until Monday."

"Given today is Sunday, probably later tonight."

"Okay." Brooke slowly started backing up and went back into the bedroom. Closing the door she slid down it ready to cry. The first time she slept with a guy, well the first time she remembers sleeping with a guy, he bails on her. Brooke grabbed her cell phone and dialed his number.

She got his voicemail immediately.

"Hey Owen, it's me…Brooke. I kind of wondered why you walked out this morning and I'm really wondering when you're coming back. Rachel is here and she told me you visit your parents every week. So please call me, it doesn't feel so good waking up alone. Okay, bye." Brooke threw the phone on the bed and looked at the messy sheets. She was angry, but smiling to the distant memory of them in that bed, sharing everything.

After getting dressed she reappeared from the bedroom, the apartment was empty. Brooke grabbed her things and left, doing her best not to look back.

Peyton walked out onto the docks at the riverfront and noticed Brooke looking intently at her cell phone. She decided to go make conversation.

"You know, Clark, if you stare hard enough, you might see inside."

Brooke looked up. "Huh?"

"Smallville, do you watch it?"

"I don't watch much television."

Peyton looked at Brooke's cell phone to see her typing a text message.

"Who's so important?"

"Do you care?" Brooke closed the phone and looked at her.

"I'm not as bad as I started out to be."

"I was texting Owen."

"The boyfriend?"

"Yes…and how would you even know who Owen is, he doesn't even go to Tree Hill."

"The word after that to be correct would be anymore. He graduated like two years prior."

"I can add that to the list of things I don't know."

"This isn't easy, but I have to ask…what's bugging you?"

"What makes you think something's wrong?"

"Because at cheer practice this morning you almost tore off Kenzie's face when she counter acted your opinion on Hamlet."

"I just get really passionate."

"Brooke, did you even read the book?"

"I did actually, and it was really boring."

"You have one up on me."  
"The assignment was to read the book; you should've read the book."

"Well Cliff takes better notes anyway."

"Who's Cliff?"

"Later on that one. Its lunch and Haley is tutoring, want to, my treat?"

"Yeah, okay."

They sat on a picnic table over looking the river. Brooke grabbed her bag lunch and Peyton sitting down with a tray.

"This is ironic. I've never seen you brown bag a lunch before."

"I don't have a mom who cares if I eat or not, so I grab whatever's in the house and eat whenever I'm hungry."

"So you realized Victoria isn't the mother of the year."

"Yeah, after everyone's known it already."

"She's always been that way, Brooke. I'm surprised she even acted like your mom after the accident. We all pretty much agreed that if Victoria would even come back home to see if you were okay, hell would freeze over."

"Come back home, what do you mean?"

"I guess she never told you that she's been in California. You lived on your own."

"In that big house?"

"Yeah, practically your whole high school life, up until now I guess."

"Nothing Victoria has done surprises me." Brooke waved to Rachel. "I'll be right back."

Peyton looked back at the girl Brooke was running over to. "Rachel?"

Brooke stood in front of Rachel, preventing her from walking. "Have you heard from him?"

"No, sorry. He won't be back until tonight."

"You know, call me, or text, anything if you hear from him."

"Sure, I will." Rachel went off on her own towards downtown.

Peyton watched Brooke sit down and continue eating her sandwich. "And now you know Rachel Gattina?"

"Yeah, well, not really. I saw her at Owen's place, like once."

"Sorry to eavesdrop, well, I meant to. But why is it so important that Owen calls you."

"No offense Peyton, I don't feel confident enough to tell you."

The girls finished the rest of their lunch in silence, then started walking along the pier.

Peyton hesitated before her next words. "I had a fight with Lucas last night, the reason I'm out at the river front alone."

"About what? I had no idea you and Lucas knew what fighting was."

"We've had disagreements before, but not like last night. I wasn't taking the pill like I should've been and I lied to him and I just told him about it last night."

"What were you doing to just bring up the pill?" Peyton gave her a look. "Oh."

"So he left saying he needed some air. And not until this morning I didn't even know if he was okay. He texted Haley last night to say he was fine. I guess he figured Haley would tell me and it wouldn't have to involve me."

"So, why did you go off the pill?"

"Everyday I see these kids with their moms and dads and I figured, one day that could be me. I just forget that I have high school the next day and my life so does not need a baby right now. But Lucas and I, we were so happy and it was like nothing else mattered." Peyton looked at Brooke, who looked confused. "Any questions."

"I slept with Owen last night."

Peyton stopped in her tracks. "As in…_slept with_?"

"Yeah."

"And why aren't you two together."

"That's what I've been trying to figure out all day. Rachel, she was the first person I saw this morning and she said he visits his parents on the weekend and he won't be back until tonight. I left him a voicemail, but so far no calls."

"And one call is all you made?"

"Yeah, I don't want to sound desperate."

"Desperate is like twenty three calls in one day. Seriously, you have to call him back."

"Now?"

"Whenever you want, but you gotta let him know you're here. You have to let him know that you need to be with him or at least get him to explain why you woke up alone."

"You sound experienced."

"It's happened to me, like once."

"What did you do?"

"Called Lucas like twenty three times in one day." They both laughed. "Nathan had crashed a car and he had to get to a hospital. It was completely forgiven, but yeah, waking up alone hurts."

"How long did it take you to recover and not be so hurt?"

"You know I still do tease him about it. So, I probably haven't yet."

"Great, no hope for me." They laughed again, and then Brooke stopped. "This feels good…laughing."

"It does. We both have our relationship crises and need to lean on someone."

"What about Haley."

"Haley is my best friend, but sometimes it's weird talking to her about marriage. I don't think she's at that place yet to really allow Nathan in, to see the real her yet."

"Now that I think about it, I don't think I was ready to let Owen in yet either."

"But you slept with him, Brooke. That breaks down that wall."

"I guess I probably would feel different if I didn't wake up alone."

"Then we have to do something about that?"

"Like what, walk in another circle?"

"You have your purse?"

"Yeah, always."

Peyton took her wallet out and held up two credit cards. "Let's get you back to the real Brooke Davis for a while."

"Those have my mom's name on them."

"I've never seen Victoria Davis read a bill in my life, she won't care."

"I guess its okay. Be good payback for a horrible person she's being."

"Well, it's a start."

Owen picked up his phone.

"Hey Rachel."

"You're an ass."

"Good morning to you too, didn't have your morning coffee?"

"What I didn't want to have was a morning with Brooke Davis coming out of your bedroom in your shirt. I'm not jealous, but why are you in Charleston and she's in Tree Hill?"  
"I visit my parents every weekend."

"Do you sleep with a different girl every weekend to think it's okay to leave them to wake up alone?"

"I know I messed up on that."

"We all know that. But what are you going to do to fix it?"

"I come home in a couple of hours."

"Good, I can tell Brooke to be at your apartment."

"Not a good idea."

"Why, is there another nice girl to abandon after sleeping with them?"

"Rachel, it's complicated. Just, please, stay out of it."

"My advice to you, well oops, you didn't listen."

Owen threw the phone on the bed, Chase walked in.

"Ready to go, it's a long drive back to Tree Hill."

"I thought we were leaving after lunch?"

"There's a storm coming up the coast and we don't want to get caught in it."

"Yeah, I just have to pack a few things."

"See you downstairs."

Owen opened up his bag and started throwing clothes inside. He saw a photo album. The pictures of him and Brooke a week before the accident. He looked at her eyes, it seems like a completely different person was looking back at him. The girl in the photo looks lost and confused.

"Aww, is that Brooke Davis, the girl you talked about the entire trip?"

Owen turned around. "Anna, hey."

"She's really pretty."

"This picture was taken a year ago. It's not even the same person anymore."

"Bad breakup."

"We never started going out, not officially."

"That picture tells a different story. But every picture is worth a thousand words."

"Do you believe in fate, Anna? You're the only person who knows that life deals you a bad hand, so I need the truth."

"I believe that things happen for a reason. For a long time I was really wondering why I was gay, why I couldn't just be like all my friends and be attracted to boys. But I realized that I'm made to be somebody, no matter if I like boys or girls. And same goes for you too. You're made to be somebody and you're made to be with somebody. It doesn't matter what the world things, it just matters what you think. And I think you have pretty good instincts."

"Thanks. This weekend was good, I'm glad I came up."

"That reminds me, didn't you say your parents expect you every weekend. That's what you said on the phone, sorry, but I accidentally over heard."

"My parents have been dead for four years. Two years after I graduated high school, they were killed by a drunk driver. A really sobering experience, in more ways than one."

"But why did you tell Rachel you visit them every weekend?"

"I do, at the cemetery. I tell them what's going on and after a little while, I feel that I'm not just talking to a rock. That's me visiting. I go to the house, see what's going on. The house was left to me, and I can't bear to let it go. It's completely empty, but it's still the house I grew up in."

"So, when the chips are down, what's the next move?"

"You know, I've never believed in luck. But I do believe in chance. Taking a chance just might be the right move to make."


	6. Chapter 6

Owen came out of class when Rachel caught up with him

Haley walked onto the river court.

"So this is where you hang out on Sundays, I've always wondered."

"I started doing this when I joined Varsity and everything was about the parties. So Sunday was my day of escape and Monday everything was back to normal. No stress."

Haley waited for Nathan to stop playing ball and want to talk to her, but she just kept seeing the ball going from the hoop to his hands, back and forth, like a broken record. "Nathan." She called out. "Can we talk?"

Nathan sat on the picnic table, Haley beside him.

"Talk about what?"

"I talked to Bevin, so I don't know how credible this information is. Did you sleep with Brooke Davis?"

He didn't hesitate. "Yes."

"Why? You never dated her."

"Sophomore year, the Spirit Classics…it was late and no one was around to stop us. That was it; it was random sex, Haley."

"That's what I was afraid of."

"What, you rather I lie to you and say we got caught up in some passion after drinking for hours?"

"Anything better than random sex."

"It was a long time ago, why are you so angry?"

"Because you say you want us to be special then you had sex with Brooke Davis, random sex."

"Yeah, a long time ago. I'm not that guy anymore. I never wanted to be that guy, it just happened."

"Are there any other girls that just happened that I should know about?"

"Haley, that's not important."

"In other words, too many to remember?"

"No, like I said, it's not important. I could say all these names, some you probably know, some you probably don't. And at the end, it wouldn't matter. You matter."

"I've always believed in a first, last and only. I don't expect you to be perfect, but your lifestyle is just…"

"Bothers you?"

"Yeah…I guess."

Nathan stood up, facing her. "Haley, I can't pretend my past still doesn't remind me of how bad of a guy I was. I wish I could go back and change it. But sometimes, remembering that getting to this moment makes me sometimes not want to change it. Things happen for a reason. My past happened for a reason. But that doesn't mean I want to be that guy again. I will never be that guy again. So whatever you're thinking; don't. The past…it's in the past, I'll never go back."

"It's just every time I feel like we're on the road to something good, your past comes to haunt us."

"Then if you can't accept my past, then I can't see how you can accept me. My past is apart of who I am. I learned a lot when being the bad guy. I've learned what not to do in order to be the good guy."

"Another thing. I knew it was you who texted me, not Lucas."

"What are you talking about?"

"Lucas types books on his text messages, not these cryptic "I am okay, I'm at Nathan's house" messages."

"He is okay."

"I would hope so or you have Peyton to answer to. Where is he?"

"I can't tell you."

"Is this some brother bonding you're doing in keeping Lucas' secret."

"No, he really didn't tell me. He left the house when I came here and not saying where he was going or when he'd be back."

"No idea where he would've went."

"My guess, Keith."

"Thanks."

Keith set the pizza box down in front of Lucas.

"Not a balanced meal, but its food."

"When does mom get back from Italy?"

"A couple of days. I'm not the parent who cooks, but luckily, Dominos is."

"Is this an effort to get me to talk?"

"I really was hungry."

"Has mom ever lied to you about something really big?"

"What do you mean by big? Like she mixed the whites with the coloreds and my favorite blue shirt is now purple?"

"Like lied about being pregnant."

Keith was shocked. "Peyton's pregnant?"

"No…but she lied about not being protected?"

"It was one time Luke."

"Times like thirty."

"Ah, what reason did she have?"

"We're happy and she wants a family."

"In most countries, that's not wrong Luke."

"Keith, she lied about it."

"And haven't you lied."

"Not about this."

"I would hope so or you being on the pill would cause quite the concern."

"Funny."

"Luke, you can't blame Peyton for taking a chance. What if she told you after the first time it happened."

"Then it would've been one time, but it's like she lied about this, she could've lied about a lot of other things."

"Luke, this is Peyton we're talking about. The girl you know in your heart tells you everything and is always honest about what's really going on. The girl you promised in front of God that you would love no matter what."

"I didn't say I didn't love her."

"But you're saying you can't trust her."

"I just want to know why."

"She told you why, is that reason not good enough?"

"Honestly, I think I'm madder that it puts me closer to Dan."

"So this isn't about Peyton at all, it's about your fears of being like Dan."

"And I can't be mad at her for that, Dan did what he did because it's who he is. I have spent my whole life making sure I would never be like him. And boom, I'm there in like a second."

"And you're blaming this on Peyton." Keith sat beside Lucas. "I've known you your entire life Lucas. I've been there to see your greatest moments and I've been there to see your worst moments. And all of those moments, Dan was not apart of them happening. You choose your own life. And walking out on Peyton gives you a step closer to becoming Dan. You make that choice, not Peyton."

Lucas exhaled. "I really messed up didn't I?"

"What do you think?"

Lucas looked at Keith. "I think I'm a pretty bad husband leaving my wife alone at home after our first fight."

"This is your first fight and you've been married for over a year?"  
"First major fight. I just can't believe I let Dan's past with my mom get in the way of my relationship with Peyton. I spent so much time running away from Dan that the choices I make could put me in the same place as him."

"There is still time to fix it. I don't think the divorce papers are ready quite yet, so you have time."

"Thanks…for everything."

"Sure…now let me enjoy my pizza." Keith took the box away and sipped his beer.

Lucas walked into the apartment with Peyton's back facing him and she was on the phone. Quietly he took off his jacket and set his keys down. He waited until she hung up the phone and turned around.

"Lucas?!" She ran and jumped his arms.

"Yeah it's me…I came back."

"I've been calling your phone all day, where have you been?"

"I went to see Keith…"

"Oh." Peyton didn't know what to say. Should she be happy he went to his father for advice instead of coming straight home.

"I need to apologize. I was wrong to leave instead of talking to you about it."

"And I'm sorry for not talking to you about it."

Lucas grabbed Peyton's hand and they set on the couch. "For a long time after we got married, I had this fear of becoming Dan. I don't want to be like him, and tonight I felt like everything that's happening is putting me closer to Dan, and all those feelings I had when I found out that he left my mom in that high school, I took them out on you. I'm sorry and I overreacted. I don't want to do that, Peyton. I want us to be the couple in high school who stays married. I don't want to fight with you."

"I can tell you're sorry, but when you proposed, did you have this fear of becoming Dan then?"

"Yeah, I did. But I knew I loved you and things would be different."

"I need you to be honest with me, Lucas. About Dan and whatever else is going on. I'm your wife and I need to be in on this."

"Feel like taking a trip?"

Peyton smiled. "Yeah."

Lucas and Peyton walked hand in hand onto the river court and then stopped at the rocks.

"When I first found out I had HCM I would sit at these rocks. It would be late at night so no one was around. I thought about you and my mom and how I would tell everyone that I had the condition. I thought about keeping it a secret, but I would rather live with HCM than die trying to hide it. That's when I knew."

"Knew what?" Peyton rested her head on his shoulder.

"I knew that I wanted to ask you to marry me. Because I knew that no matter what happened with the HCM or anything, you would be there and we would always be together. We would always have that one thing that can never be taken away."

"Then I lied about the pill."

He kissed her head. "Nah, you just spiced it up a little bit. Truth is, I kept the HCM a secret for like a year. I didn't know if anyone should know or to reveal it after I retire from basketball. So, we both have our indiscretions I guess."

Peyton laughed. "But yours is much worse."

"Hey, thanks…that's real supportive, Mrs. Scott."

"I bought you here because there's something I've been meaning to do, but never really had the courage."

Peyton saw Lucas open up his jacket pocket. "What are you doing?"

"For my birthday, I got this small package. It didn't have a name or anything to say who it was from. I opened it and it was a roll of film of all the news clippings and newspaper mentions of my life. Dan sent this to me. He sent me the negatives saying that now we both have my childhood to share. For a long time I felt like I should've kept it, like Dan did this out of some reason that would define that he cared. But I realized that he was never really my father. Keith is my father and he's the only father that I need."

"And you're sure that throwing it in the water is going to rid Dan out of your life."

"It's a start."

"What if I said Dan is apart of you, he always will be."

"I know there is no way of completely getting rid of Dan, but not having things around to remind me of him helps."

"Then throw it, let's see time fly."

Lucas laughed. "A sentimental moment garnished by humor."

"You married me for my sense of humor."

Lucas threw the container into the river. He didn't feel any different but knew that he was finally accepting that Dan really never meant anything to him.

Owen opened up the door and set his bag down. The light in his bedroom was on. He laughed at remembering his mother always telling him to turn lights off so other people around the world can use that energy. Owen saw the bedroom door opening, Brooke appearing from the other side. She brushed the hair out of her face to reveal she was still crying.

"Hey." He paused to gather his thoughts of how she got in. "Brooke."

"In case your wonder about the breaking and entering part, there's a key in every place an moronic robber would look. A flower pot in a hallway with no windows and carpet. Plants die."

"Good to know. Second question, how long have you been here, I've been gone all weekend."

"A few hours and I have a question for you. Did you have this weekend planned before we slept together or me waking up alone was just a thrilling experience for you?"

"Weekend trip I had planned for months. I wanted to leave you a note, but I forgot and we had already left."

"Cell phones, like the messages I sent you. What, did you just delete all of them? I mean I'm this moronic high school girl with no memory and a past to be ashamed of. Why be serious with me? And you're a really bad liar. The one thing I've learned about this whole little girl lost experience is that I can tell when people are telling the truth. So, was this vacation more important than me?"

"No."

"But you went. I'm not the right person to question you because we're not really dating because we haven't gone on a real date. So if you don't answer, I get it." Brooke picked up her purse and keys; she looked back up at Owen. "Thanks for the sex, really, it was nice to really feel wanted and needed for once that I can remember."

"Brooke, wait."

She turned around; scoffing at the idea he was going to plead with her. "Before you say whatever you're about to say. I want to say this before the courage goes away. "I thought, for a long time, what would happen the days after we had sex and I guess I built it up in my head and my heart that it would be this magical experience that would last longer than one night. That I would wake up you and you would be there beside him to tell me that all that I'm feeling is normal. That I feel scared, but excited that I got to experience something so special with someone I cared about so much. But it feels like you took that and just stomped on it when you left. So, whatever you have to say…say it, because I don't think I care anymore."

"Yeah, I got scared. Because before the accident, we met and I was attracted to you. I thought I could be the one to change everything for you. I built myself up to think we could have this real, great relationship. But you and me, we didn't work. I knew that if I gave up on us, I would have given up on you. I saw something in you, Brooke Davis; you saw a way out. A way out of this madness and depression you so clearly showed to everyone and didn't realize it. I never forgot that look. Then you left and I thought I could move on, meet a girl who was passed all the parties and staying out and not caring about anything. But all the feelings came back when I saw you. You were at the beach with your mom. You looked so happy. And I knew you deserved it. Since then, I couldn't get you out of my mind. Everything I did, I thought about you. But the one thing that I promised myself is that no matter what, I would not get pulled into that world and have a repeat of what had already happened a before. Then we met and I just let myself go, until a few days ago. I knew the moment we crossed that line, there was no going back, and everything was going to change. I wasn't really sure if change was what I wanted. But now all I want is you. And I don't care about all the stuff that happened before. All that matters is now. So you can leave if you want, I don't blame you."

Owen waited for Brooke to say something, but she just stood there, stunned, not really know what to say or how to react, just speechless. He went into his bedroom, not shutting the door. Brooke sat her bag down, straightening herself out. She was standing still while Owen was talking. Brooke went to his bedroom door, knocking on the door.

Owen slowly turned around. "You're still here."

"Did you ever regret sleeping with me, knowing before anything happened that it would change? Did you regret any of it?"

"No. The only thing I regret is not waking up with you…being there with you. I can't take back what I did. All I can say is I'm sorry."

"I don't want either of us to regret anything. I've learned that regrets only lead to unhappiness. You're the happy place that I want to be apart of." She walked further into the room, standing in front of him; looking up to his eyes. "We both have a lot of fears in going into this relationship." She held his hands. "But if we're both willing to try, then this relationship might have a good change at working out."

"So you forgive me."

"Well that depends how you do the second time around." She removed her jacket and reached up to kiss him."

The next morning, Owen opened his eyes to an empty bed. He looked around. "Brooke."

"Gotcha didn't I?" Brooke closed the door behind her.

"You're holding an envelope, why?"

She jumped on the bed, sitting over his legs, straddling him. "The reason why I really wanted you to be there when I woke up was because I wanted to talk to you about this."

Owen opened up the envelope. "You're filing for emancipation."

"Sort of odd considering I'm like just recovering from a horrible accident and don't remember anything before the circa of three months ago."

"Smart, but in the eyes of the courts, Victoria is like the saint mother. She took care of you; made sure you had everything you needed."

"Taking care of in her definition is making sure I'm not dying and throwing cash at me to buy whatever I need before she jets off to whatever job she has."

"And I do agree with this. But you're gonna need a pretty good case for a judge to grant you a divorce from your mother."

"I have you. I mean I've been pretty much living here for the past month while no calls have been placed from my mother to even see if I'm alive."

"Brooke, the courts are not going to believe you living with your boyfriend for a month over your mother who can give you anything you want at a moment's notice." Brooke was smiling. "What did I say?"

"You said boyfriend." She smiled.

"Considering I'm naked under these sheets and you are looking very sexy in my clothes, I'd like to think I am your boyfriend."

"Then that means I get to be your girlfriend."

He nodded, kissing her. "If you wanna be."

"Well there is something else I want that is under these sheets."

"I knew it; you're so in love with the pillows."

Brooke laughed. "Yeah…you got me."

They started to kiss again and Brooke hopped under the sheets.


	7. Chapter 7

Owen came out of class when Rachel caught up with him

Peyton met Brooke at her locker, surprising her when appearing around the locker door.

"You know scaring someone is not a good thing."

"Since you have no memory before six months ago, I'll remind you. You have a date with Tim this weekend."

"What is this weekend, and who is Tim?"

Peyton took out her cell phone. "Here's a video of him a week ago after the game."

Brooke watched and was horrified. "Ugh, that's a person? Looks more like a hyena on crack."

"Most days he is. You still agreed to go on a date with him?"

"In what language did I agree to that?"

"The language that you were desperate to have sex and Tim's the token idiot."

"What is with the old me and sex. Already I'm so tired of it."

"It was you, that's who you were."

"Why didn't anyone try and stop me?"

"We did, but that's another story."

"So what is this weekend?"

"Homecoming. There is a basketball game Friday, which we are cheering at. And Saturday is the homecoming."

"And I really have to go with Tim, maybe he doesn't remember."

Tim walked towards them, holding a video camera. "And as of Saturday I will be going out with Ms Foxy Brown herself, Brooke Davis."

Brooke looked straight to the camera. "GO AWAY!"

Tim quickly put the camera down. "But you said you would go with me."

"That wasn't this me and this me doesn't even want to go to a dance, much less have a date that I don't know."

"Even as friends." Tim put on the sad face.

"I'll think about it."

Tim started filming Brooke again. "And this is my date for the dance."

Brooke took the camera away and ripped the tape out, throwing it in the trash. "You film me again; I'll kick your ass."

"And she's dirty!"

Brooke looked at Peyton. "Friends do not let Friends date Tim."

"That should be a bumper sticker." The call bell rang. "Come on, time for some history."

"I've had enough history for the day already."

Nathan showed up at the tutoring center, Haley had just finished with a student.

"You busy?"

"Nah, Jason just left and I have a few minutes. What's up?"

"Homecoming."

Haley looked over at him from the filing cabinet. "Nathan, I hate dances."

"It'll be fun, like a date. Something we haven't done in a while."

"So for us to have a date then I have to do all the hair, makeup and find a dress? Not a good compromise."

"There's also a party at the beach house, should be fun."

"And yet you follow it up with a beer drinking fiesta. I'm not interested."

"I thought homecoming would be something you would want to go to?"

"I did but we have been at so many odds lately, going to homecoming is the last thing on my mind."

"Chance you might change your mind before Saturday? Are you even coming to the game on Friday?"

"Cheerleader, remember?"

"Whatever has happened, I just thought us going to a dance would be nice."

Haley sighed. "I'll think about it."

"Then I'll see you at the game, just give me your answer then."

"Yeah, sure."

Lucas came in and sat against the table beside Haley.

"So I heard about you not wanting to go to the dance."

"What are you, sitting on a tree eavesdropping?"

"More like nudged up against a locker right outside."

"Did Nathan talk you into to doing this?"

"No. Peyton did."

"Why is it so important for me to go to one school dance? It's not like it's Prom."

"Yeah because prom would be like you had to go because it's prom, not because you wanted to go. It's the last homecoming at Tree Hill, for us anyway. Why don't you want to go?"

"Because I know the minute we get to that beach house, Nathan is going to be all about sex."

Lucas cringed. "I didn't need that visual."

"That's all it's been Luke, I can't think without thinking about it. Nathan asks about it all the time…and it's like I'm so tired of hearing about it."

"Like pressuring you?"

"No, it's nothing like that. Remember when you and me up on top of the café, playing miniature golf? Life was so easy then. Life was all about the two of us, against the world. Then things happened. You joined the team, got together with Peyton and I was sort of drafted into this world that I'm not ready for. Now it seems I'm ready but I'm not ready. And the more I try to understand it, the more I make Nathan feel like he's got better chances of seeing the comet than us having…yeah."

"What are you so afraid of? That Nathan's gonna leave like Dan did."

"That the changes that will happen make Nathan and me drift apart."

"So you would rather risk not finding out what might happen than risk you and Nathan becoming different people."

"Yeah."

"Hales, I've known you your whole life and I love the way you rationalist and analyze things. But you know, it's gotta stop. Nathan, he's not going anywhere. And you know if he does anything, I'll be here."

"You have your own problems with Peyton."

"I'm never not here for my best friend, you know that."

"When you were first…with…Peyton. Were you scared of that change?"

"No. I knew that no matter what, Peyton and I would stay the same. We would make it through, same reason why I asked her to marry me."

"Let's hope Nathan doesn't pop the question anytime soon."

"I'm not going to tell you what you should do. But my advice is you're already ready, in your heart, it's just the ideas you have in your head conflict it. I know that one man gave me some advice when I decided to marry Peyton. "Use your head, and follow your heart."

"But my head and my heart are saying two different things."

"Haley, tell me something. When something really good happens, who do you tell first?"

"Nathan."

"When something bad happens, who do you tell first?"

"Nathan."

"And he's still here."

"Thanks, subconscious."

"Always here, your fee will be put on your bill."

"Just deduct it all the times you talked to me about Peyton's loser rock and endless depressing art."

"Note taken."

Keith and Lily arrived at the airport to pick up Karen. She was wearing the outfit Karen picked out when they went to visit his parents for the first time.

"There's mommy!"

Keith looked up and through the sea of people, he saw Karen. "So you did come back to us."

"Of course, and miss this little girl…never."

"Now I see how it is."

"Oh, and Lucas too." Karen smiled. "I missed you too. Where is Lucas?"

"He's doing something with Peyton, sends his best and will see you at the house tonight."

"Oh, I sort of hoped he be here. I had this image of Lucas, Lily and you waiting for me."

"I did too, but I got a text as the last minute. Something he couldn't get out of."

"Oh, okay. So, everything okay?"

Keith sighed. "Yeah."

"Anything but a yes tells me you're not telling me everything. Or I can ask a very innocent five year old."

Karen buckled Lily into the seat and got up front in the passenger seat. She looked back at her daughter and saw her with the headphones enjoying the movie playing.

"So, what happened?"

"Lucas came over the other night, and Peyton had a fight?"

"What kind of fight like she turned his blue shirt purple?"

"She lied about the pill."

"Wait, she's not pregnant is she?"

"No, but I think Lucas is afraid of becoming Dan."

"Who isn't?"

"I think he really looked scared. The idea of having a child now really scares him."

"I told him a lot of stories of how hard it was for us when I was a single mom."

"You had me."

"And how guilty did I feel for keeping you in Tree Hill?"

"And think about life changing and not having you and Lily, I would've wanted to stay."

"But he's okay, you two talked."

"Yeah, we had dinner and talked."

Karen giggled. "You cooked?"

"Dominos did."

"Sounds more like it. Anything else happen, truthfully?"

"Nothing except the sink is making that really weird noise again."

"And you just fixed that."

"I sort of lied."

"So you lied to your wife about fixing the sink?"

"I'll get to it?"

"And what number on the list is it? Is it above or below building Lily a tree house?"

"Shh…I haven't decided yet."

"Before Christmas. I would like to have some water to cook Thanksgiving Dinner with."

"Well, I'll try."

"Why don't you let Lucas help you, he always loves to help you."

"When he was eight. He's got his own life, his own family."

"Keith, when Lucas and Peyton married, you gained a daughter-in-law. You didn't lose a son. I bet if you ask he'll be more than happy."

"I can ask him tonight then."

"Tonight, is he going to meet us at the house?"

"No, I can call him when we get home."

"You can call him now, and he can meet us there. Getting this done will be better to get done quicker."

"Cell phone, and driving, not a good mixture. Accidents, it's not something we should practice, not with our daughter back there."

"Then, I'll call him."

Karen grabbed Keith's phone and dialed his phone, she got his voicemail almost immediately. "Lucas, its mom. I was wondering if you could come over and fix the sink. I would really appreciate it. And since I'm just getting home, why not all of us going out to dinner? I don't know if you have plans with Peyton tonight, but it would be nice for the whole family to be together. Call me back, bye."

"I guess he's busy."

They pulled into the driveway and Keith saw Peyton's car in the distance. They quickly ran inside with Keith convincing Karen and Lily it was going to rain…with no clouds in the sky.

Lucas started carrying out the cake when he heard his mother's voice.

"Happy homecoming, ma."

"What is this?" Karen looked at Lucas. "You've been here the entire time?"

"Since early this afternoon."

"You don't answer your phone?"

"I didn't want you to hear anything going on."

Peyton appeared on the other side. "Hi Karen."

Karen smiled at Peyton, and then looked at Lucas and Keith. "So, I guess this is a good time to ask Lucas to fix the sink?"

Keith grumbled. "Come on Luke, let's Scott Men fix the sink."

Karen and Peyton sat on the couch. "I don't know how you're going to react to this, but Keith told me about Lucas and you having a fight."

"Oh, we're getting to that already?"

"If you don't want to talk about it, I understand."

"No it's okay. I just really want to take it all back, you know. Not test fate and not test pregnancy."

"Do you really want to take it all back? Because you wanting a baby will never go away, even sometimes having a child won't take that away."

"I just see how you and Keith made it and I just feel that as long as we love our child, then everything else will fall into place."

"The chips fell into place, but not before being knocked down in the mud a few times. I believe that when it happens, it will happen. And I think we both can agree that a surprise is the best ticket."

"It's just now I have this feeling that when it does happen, and if it happens before we're ready, there's going to be this doubt in Lucas' eyes when he looks at me and maybe wondering was it just by chance we got pregnant or did I have something to do with it."

"Here comes Lucas, talk to your husband and I'm going to go talk to mine."

Lucas sat down beside Peyton.

"What were you and my mom talking about?"

"If by chance I get pregnant and it's not completely by chance, there isn't going to be that thought that I manipulated that chance, is it?"

"Hey…why would you think that?"

"I lied about it and now I just can't get it out of my head."

"Let's go outside."

As soon as they got outside, Lucas started kissing Peyton…she broke the kiss.

She held his hands. "That feels good, I've missed that."

"Peyton, I love you, and that's never going to change…never."

"That's not what I'm afraid of."

"I wasn't completely honest with you the other day. No matter if it's tomorrow or a year from tomorrow, I want that baby with you. Truth is, I knew you weren't on the pill. I knew about it a couple of times, but it shocked me when you said a month. That moment when you hold our child for the first time, I know that there will be no greater moment. I want what you wanted…and I want it with you."

Peyton reached up and kissed him. "I love you, thank you."

"Mind saying goodbye to my parents and cutting the night short?"

"Yeah, but why?"

Lucas kissed her. "To go home, and hopefully without objection…to make a baby."

"Luke, we haven't even graduated high school yet, words you said to me not even a week ago."

"You said you've always wanted a family, and I want what you want?"


	8. Chapter 8

Owen came out of class when Rachel caught up with him

Owen watched as Brooke stormed into the apartment, ranting about her day, putting her bag down and sit at the counter while he was cooking.

"I'll take a shot in the dark, you had a bad day?"

"I hate high school, I hate the old me."

"What happened?"

"Before I became this new robot, I promised I would go to the homecoming dance…with Tim."

"Smith?"

"One and only."

"Why?"

"Only thing I can thing of is because he doesn't care about who he has sex with, and neither did the old me."

"What did you tell him?"

"First I said no, but it was in front of everyone and he had this stupid video camera. I said I'd think about it. Until then, I'm trying to think of a great excuse not to go."

"Just go."

"Then that would sort of disrupt this boyfriend, girlfriend relationship that we have going here."

"And just because some random guy is your date to a dance, that isn't going to mess with it."

"You're serious? What happened to the scenario of you saying don't go because he's a jerk and he'll mistreat me."

"I'm not the one saying that, you are. But you promised him a date."

"But Tim is not a real person."

"And a second ago, you called yourself a robot."

"You actually want me to go."

Owen leaned down to kiss her, getting to her eye level. "Actually, no. I'd rather my girlfriend stay here and we do anything besides her going out on a date with a guy named Tim."

"Well she could stay for a little bit, wait for Tim to forget she exists and then come over to spend the night at her boyfriend's apartment."

"Now that date isn't sounding so bad."

"Let's say after a couple of hours, you text me, I fake a sick…dog, and leave."

"You know, have you told Tim you have a boyfriend?"

"No, I sort of haven't told anyone, well except Peyton."

"So you and Peyton are friends now?"

"I guess. We just started talking about stuff. I told her about the morning I woke up alone, which I forever tease you about. And her and Lucas were having some stuff."

"Tim might actually find someone else to go if he knows you have a boyfriend."

"I'll try but that boy; he deserves a collar, a leash, something."

Nathan knocked on Haley's bedroom door.

"I just got home, did you follow me?"

"Not in the sense of follow."

"What's up?" Nathan was silent, looking around, getting nervous. "Why are you finding everything to look at that isn't me?"

"Because this relationship…"

Haley interrupted him. "I can probably finish that sentence."

"Can you really? Because it's hard for me to say and I'm the one who's been practicing it all the way over here."

"Is this something about the dance? Nathan, I don't even wanna go, so, we can just stay here."

"Haley, I really, really want to get close to you. But it seems every time I do that, you have this reason to stop. Which is okay, but now all we talk about is my past or you being scared."

"So you're here to tell me we can't be together because I won't have sex with you. That's not fair, Nathan."

"It's not because of that, I can live with that. But we haven't been really close in a really long time. We barely talk anymore and if we do it's one-word sentences that don't make sense."

"I told you Nathan, it's really hard for me."

"I know, I've heard it before. Right now it feels like we're going to be stuck in this weird place forever. I can't be that guy, Haley."

"So because of us not being able to talk about anything real, you don't want to be with me."

"I want to be with you, I want to be able to talk to you about stuff going on, but there is this awkward feeling that no matter what I say or what you say, it's going to be somehow interpreted into something else."

"So this is where we are. I've never had this happen, so what happens now. Do we completely avoid each other or just, like we are now, one-word awkward sentences until we can just avoid each other all together."

"I don't know. I don't know how to act around you, Haley."

"Makes two of us. I don't know how to act around me either. I don't have sisters or anybody to talk to about it. Peyton's with Lucas, they have their stuff. Brooke is in robot land. When we started hanging out, it felt good. Someone I could be with, talk to about really bad stuff. I know about the stuff you went through with your mom and I thought you would understand. I guess not." Nathan's cell phone went off. "Take that as your cue, I think we've said all we need to say."

Nathan walked up to Haley, she tried to back away, but let Nathan kiss her. He broke the kiss after what seemed forever, Haley was left stunned and more confused than before. After listening to his voicemail, Nathan's hands started to shake and he was breathing hard.

"Nathan? Who called?"

"Karen. She said my mom was taken to the hospital."

"What happened?"

Nathan swallowed hard. "She tried to kill herself."

"Hasn't your mom tried this before?" Nathan gave her a look. "Sorry, wrong question to ask. Are you going over there now, or…?"

"It's just hard to think. I pretty much live on my own now my mom is taking her pills again."

"Do you want me to drive you?"

"Could you just…come with me?"

"Yeah, of course." Haley gently took the keys out of Nathan's hand. "The hospital doesn't need anymore patients."

Haley parked the car and Nathan got out and rushed to the emergency. Slowly Haley tried to process the events of the evening and tried to figure out if she and Nathan were just friends or more than that.

Karen looked up to see Nathan rushing down the hallway.

"Is she…?"

"Deb is okay. She's in recovery. They did a stomach pump and got everything out. It wasn't that much."

"How close was she this time?"

"It was pretty close."

Nathan walked into the room and Deb's eyes were barely open. "Mom, you awake?"

"Hi Nathan…I'm so glad you came to visit me."

"Why did you take the pills?"

"I had a headache and took some medicine and then took too much, and…"

"Mom that was almost the same excuse you used last time. You're on the pills again, aren't you?"

"Nathan, I'm just taking a little bit now."

"But you're still taking them. You lied to me and to Karen, Keith, yourself."

"I'm sick, Nathan, and I need…"

"Mom, you're not sick. You have an addiction. You need to go to rehab."

Deb laughed lightly. "I don't need rehab, that's for…"

"For you, rehab is for drug abusers. You abuse the prescriptions."

"Did you come here to see if I was okay or to badger me?"

"Honestly, I came to see if you were still alive."

"That's nice to know."

"Mom, I'm the only one being honest here. Every time the phone rings late at night, I think that you're in some hospital overdosed from some prescription medicine. I don't know how much more of this I can take. My life is lived through hospital visits, taking care of you. I'm still in high school; you should be taking care of me. Making sure I'm going to school. Instead I have to make sure you aren't popping pills."

"I'll get help Nathan, when I need it."

"Mom, you're in a hospital after having your stomach pumped and getting the pills out of your body. How much more of a sign of help do you need?"

"I was in rehab; those people there are the ones who need it, not me. I'm completely sane."

"Then why do you need pills everyday to survive…or in this case, to almost kill yourself with?" Deb's heart monitor started to beep. "That's my cue. I don't know if I'll be back, so don't expect me to visit."

Nathan walked out of the hospital room; Karen was talking to Haley, who walked over when seeing Nathan.

"How did it go?"

"My mom admitting she doesn't have a drug problem and doesn't need rehab, but needs to pills to survive. Same story."  
"Do you want to stay; I could get some coffee from the cafeteria."

"No, I'll just be waiting to hear the same results I heard last time. She needs rehab and here's who I recommend. Every doctor in the state of North Carolina has tried to get my mom into rehab. It's no use. She refuses to go."

"What do you want to do?"

"Go anywhere but here."

In his pajamas, Lucas walked out to the balcony, sat on the railing beside her.

"I thought we were going to…"

"I started thinking about what it would be like. Us having a child, someone to take care of. And I was thinking about this girl that I saw on the news where she was so in love with her boyfriend until they got pregnant. Everything changed. I'm not saying it will with us. I just know that neither of us knows what the future holds. And I don't want to take a chance on something happening because we were too impatient for life to give us what we wanted."

"And I love you too much for something to happen to us."

"So, I was thinking. What about Lily staying with us. She's been asking me a few times to stay over. And I think this weekend might be a good chance."

"Yeah, she would like that."

"So we're okay, right?"

Lucas put his arm around her. "The other day I was with Keith and my mom and the drive home I kept thinking about when I knew I wanted to marry you. Ironically I think I was walking through the hallway and you were standing just talking to someone and you were so beautiful. It was raining and really a mess everywhere, but you had this light around you. And I knew that no matter in ten years or fifty years, you will always have that light around you. After that I just couldn't be at school. It felt too weird to be doing some meaningless assignment and then leaving school to plan how I was going to propose to you."

"I remember you left school early that day. And then I realize that Nathan is the worst liar on the planet. I asked him where you were since you weren't at practice and he kept stuttering his words and couldn't even look at me. I knew something was up. But I figured it was…well I never figured it was a proposal. I think, honestly, I had the worst day. The day you saw me with a light around me, I was trying to convince my English teacher for a retake on the exam I missed because I skipped school."

"Well, did it work?"

"Yeah, it did. And he noticed that a boy kept starring at me from afar and he asked, 'do you know this boy'. I saw you down the hallway, having that awkward smile, and said 'yeah…he's the one'. All I remember is waving to you and going to class. I'll never forget that moment, Luke. After that I couldn't concentrate. I just thought about you standing there, Nathan and his answers. And you fixed all of that…even before proposing to me."

"I was so nervous. I wanted to tell Haley to keep you busy for a few hours. But being so nervous I forgot to call her."

"I never knew that. Now it explains the frozen dinner on the counter. And the really weird look on your face when I came home and asked why all the lights were off."

"Nothing went according to plan. I wanted to get down on one knee, just like Keith did with my mom. I had this amazing proposal ready. I practiced it all the way home from getting the ring. It was perfect, I think I might've even…never mind."

"Aww, does Lucas Scott cry? But you saw me in the living room completely horrified that I was there. I asked you what was wrong. And I'll never forget you said 'I forgot to call Haley'."

"Then by some weird coincidence Haley called. I remember looking at you, knowing the whole proposal was blown. There was no way I would be able to give that speech when you showed up early. I remember telling Haley that you had just gotten home and I said 'I'm going to ask her to marry me'."

"I remember feeling so emotional. I started to cry, and I tried to stop because I wanted you to be able to do it right and I realized that it didn't matter. All that mattered was you asking me and I said yes."

"Haley told me that she could get you out of the house and I told her it didn't matter because she just said yes."

"That's why she was so weird when I told her the next day you and I had gotten engaged."

"Then she asked me what back alley did I get the ring from because it looked too nice to get it out of crackerjack box."

Peyton looked at him. "I probably shouldn't ask, but how did you get that ring? It must have cost a fortune."

"When I was about ten, my grandpa told me that a real woman should have a real ring. I was only ten but he told me with this seriousness as if I was older and was planning to get married. And he told me that when the day comes, to talk to him and he would give me grandma's ring to keep the ring in the family. But I remember telling him that I was going to get my wife my very own ring. He said 'okay, but it won't be the same." And when I met you, I started saving up money. I never told my mom, Keith, Haley, anybody what I was saving up for. Every allowance I got, every birthday present every Christmas present. I saved up; I knew I was going to buy you the best ring that money could buy." Lucas brushed a piece of hair out of Peyton's face. "And one time I wanted this really cool bike, it was like a thousand dollars. And Keith said the money I have saved up; if it's not enough then he would make up the difference. But I never touched that money. I knew that I wanted you more than I wanted a bike." Peyton wrapped her arm under Lucas and held his hand and wiped away the tears. "But Lily found it and took it to Keith. And Keith asked me what the money was for. It was all cash, like just thrown in there. And I told him I was saving it. And he grilled me for like an hour to find out what it was. And it ended with I was doing anything illegal, promised him that. I told him it would be a nice reward. So the day that I knew I was going to propose, I put all that money into the bank. You know buying a ring with a wad of cash, it doesn't look good. I went to buy the ring and everyone looked at me. They kept asking me, how old I was. I told them about you and a little bit about us. I got the ring, and well, you know the rest."

She kissed him on the cheek. "Why didn't you ever tell me that?"

"Every man has a secret."

Haley knocked on Brooke's bedroom door, then opened it a little. "Want some company?"

Brooke looked up from her reading. "Yeah, anytime. Come on in."

"The front door was open, hope it's okay with Victoria."

"Victoria is somewhere that I'm not, so yeah, it's perfectly okay."

"I know that I've been mean to you, and it's weird that you don't know what's been going on previous to almost a year ago. Oh, are you reading a book?"

"Yeah." Brooke held up the book. "It's for my English Lit class. Sort of extra credit I guess. Or the lack of not having a social life."

"Can we talk?"

"Of course, grab a bed."

Haley sat on the bed. "I know Peyton and Lucas have this perfect life and you probably have this life with Owen. It's just I don't really have anyone to talk to…"

"You can always come to me."

"Great because." Haley frowned to Brooke's cell phone ringing.

"It's the doctor, I can call them back."

"You're still going to a doctor?"

"Yeah, until my memory is fully back, she wants me to visit her on a monthly basis assuming I don't have permanent brain damage."

"Maybe remembering what happened in the past isn't so bad. Sometimes I'd like to take a few things back."

"Like what? You have Nathan, you shouldn't have regrets."

"All I've been doing is having regrets. It first started off as me not being able to have sex and now I can't even know what to say if I see him."

"Then why are you with him? I mean if you feel so uncomfortable then why stay?"

"I'm hoping that I can have a relationship like my parents did. I mean my dad met my mom in high school and they've been together ever since."

"Haley, you are not your parents. You need to be you. If anything I've learned from this mind relapse thing is to be yourself. It doesn't matter if you don't have sex, as long as you are who you need to be."

"Well it's just I keep having this image in my head of Nathan and this girl around school. I can't get it out of my head. No matter what I do, it's just too awkward."

"And how long ago was that?"

"It was like freshman year."

"Why are you being so hard on yourself and Nathan? He obviously wants to be with you and you are thinking of every excuse in the book not to." Haley's cell phone rang. "Hey, I'm gonna check my cell and you talk to your phone call."

Brooke checked her message.

_This is Leslie, Doctor Taggano's assistant. This message is for Brooke Davis. I need to know if you have found a new doctor or you just have been skipping your appointments on purpose. It is imperative you call us back immediately. Your health is very important to us and we need to be sure you are in good care. You have my number, please, please call us back. And your next appointment is on next Tuesday, I will hope to see you. It's at nine o'clock sharp, in the morning. So please, call us if you can't make or we'll be more than happy to see you._

Brooke deleted the message. She looked up to Haley slowly walking into her room holding her phone.

"Haley, what's wrong?"

"I have to attend a dinner for my dad, as congratulations. He got the job offer he wanted."

"That's good, so where will he be working."

"As a producer for this really talented record label."

"That's awesome, but there aren't any record labels around here, maybe in Charlotte."

"Yeah but that one didn't want my dad, neither did the one in Virginia or the one in Florida or any state within the four state radius of North Carolina."

"Haley, what are you saying?"

"He got a job in London."

"Please tell me you mean the city in Ohio."

"No, it's the real London."

"But it's so far away, how can he just move to London."

"For a three times as much pay raise as he has now and he can give his family more than he ever dreamed."

"But you're not even done with high school yet, how can they just take you out?"

"My mom was a teacher; she's gonna home school me. It was talked about when my dad was going for the job in London. That was when everything was different. You were here, but you weren't. Short story, I didn't really have a lot of things I would miss. Then I started talking to Nathan and my parents didn't really mention the job offer. And I sort of forgot about it."

"And now?"

"I would be sad that I left, and sometimes I feel like I'm already gone."

"Haley, I need you here. But this isn't about me."

"Sometimes I just think it would be better if I left, maybe for a while. If I wanted to, I'm sure I could come back and stay with Karen and Keith. I love Lily and I practically lived there when Luke and I were growing up."

"Well what's gonna happen if you love it there? Could you be able to live in London the rest of your life. Miss out on graduation, miss out on your life here."

"Brooke, I have no life here!"

"If that's the way you feel…"

"Brooke, I'm sorry, it's…"

"It's just before the accident, I was a bitch and even me being an angle wouldn't cover that up."

"That's not it."

"Yeah it is. I get the looks from everyone around here. From Peyton to Lucas, I think even Owen looks at me wondering when I'm going to flip back into the former version of myself."

"It could happen, I guess."

"But even if I remember all the rest of me, I think I would feel horrible. I mean I can remember exactly how I felt the day I came back to school and the way you looked at me, Peyton and Lucas. I think even Nathan gave me a glare. I can tell I was horrible to everyone. And then Peyton she told me who I was before. And what happened to Mouth."

"Getting a call from Lucas to tell me to get to the hospital in the middle of the night was the worst feeling in the world."

"To identify the body?"

"No, to see Mouth. He wasn't awake, but doctors said he would wake up. He was very lucky to have survived though."

"Survived? Wait, Peyton told me he died."

"He didn't die, Brooke. His parents moved him in with his aunt and uncle. He lives in Chicago. You must have understood Peyton wrong. Why would she have said Mouth died?"

"Because I had no memory and she could've said Mouth was in the car with me or that I murdered him and I wouldn't remember."

"Look, I'm not the one to get into anyone's business, but maybe not asking Peyton about this would be a good idea."

"Oh a good idea to know or not if I didn't kill someone?"

"Keep the peace? Look, there's a party tonight at the beach house. You should go."

"Are you going?"

"It's Nathan's father's beach house. Not really a place I want to be."

"If you don't go, I won't."

"Now that's not fair, Brooke. You and I have different reasons for going…or not going."

"Your reason is you don't want to see Nathan. And my reason is it's my old stomping grounds and I have a new anger issue with Peyton."

"If you do go, could not do anything. Or you know, just avoid Peyton."

"That's a problem because Peyton and I have become like BFF and it's hard to see her as not BFF, you know?"

"Bring that boyfriend of yours, you know. He can meet everyone; you can use him to avoid Peyton."

"I can try, I hate to spring things on him like he has to come to everything that I want to go to."

"So you want to go?"

"My doctor says that I should be in familiar territories, that might jog my memory. But the way I hear about my former life, I don't want to be on the same planet as my old life."

"Your old life was drinking and sex and parties. It's a party; you don't have to drink and don't have to have sex. Just a party?"

"There's a first time for everything, right?"

"Yeah, come on, you can be my date."

"Sure, but just so you know, I don't remember doing any playing for the other team, so…"

"See, there's that Brooke Davis charm coming back."


End file.
